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Chapter Text

“Are you in danger? An intergalactic threat that you can’t stop?”, Peter Quill comes into the frame as “Hooked On A Feeling's" introduction begins to play.

“No need to say more,call your Guardians Of The Galaxy!” He exclaims, his hands on his hips.

“We can do whatever it is that you need,face whatever you can’t.” Gamora comes into the frame, speaking the obviously scripted line.

“It’s a bit pricey, but trust me it’s worth it.” Rocket says as he fades into the frame. Drax, Mantis, and Groot fade in next.

“Call us your Guardians!” They all say in rhythm. The only ones smiling are Groot, Mantis, and Peter as the number appears on the screen. The Guardians and the song fade out in the 80s style commercial seconds later.

The High Evolutionary scoffs as he throws the remote at the small television box, causing it to go off. His blood is absolutely boiling and he’s filled with rage. 89P13 is not the hero,I am

“Find me 89P13-“ He starts,then one of his recorders cut in.

“Sire,” Recorder Vim starts, ”it could be anywhere-“

“I don’t care Vim!", He yells, ”I don’t care if I have to face the Mad Titan to find 89P13, it will pay for what it has done!"

2018

“I swear to you on my life. I never found the Soul Stone-“ Gamora cries, her hands on her father’s.

It had been at least an hour since Gamora was taken from her family and brought back to this nightmare that Thanos called her home.

Thanos grins as Nebulas memory files are accessed, the recording plays.

Nebula tells Gamora that Thanos is going for the stones. Gamora tells her that he’ll never find them all, because she burned the map to find the Soul Stone.

I shouldn’t have told anyone. Gamora thinks, she looks down. Now, because of me,me and my sister will die.

“You’re strength…Me.” Thanos circles around Gamora like a shark.

“You’re generous…Me.” Gamora looks down. Will I ever escape this torture?, She could feel the tears forming in her eyes.

“But I never taught you to lie, that’s why you’re so bad at it.” Thanos states, sternly.

“Where is the Soul Stone?” Thanos asks. He bawls his fist up and Nebulas body begins to disassemble.
Gamora sobs as her sisters body is ripped apart in front of her.

If anyone’s listening, please. Let us escape our “Father”

“That’ll be enough.” A man in all purple seems to have appeared behind Thanos. His face is stretched, forcibly attached to his face. He has dark circles under his eyes. The look on his face is anything but concerned for the screaming woman in front of him, but for the Mad Titan.

Thanos unbawls his fist as his guards point their spears towards the man.

“How did you make it in here? Who are you?” Thanos’ voice booms. Gamora looks over at her sister before focusing on the man that was not her father.

“I’ve come to make a deal with you,Thanos of titan. You may know who I am", the man stopped getting closer "I am The High Evolutionary.” The High Evolutionary explained.

“And why shouldn’t I kill you now?” Thanos declared, placing his arm without the gauntlet on Gamoras shoulder.

“Ah because I want to make us a deal", he locked his hands together behind his back, "It involves you, the stones,and your motive.You win in the deal.” The High Evolutionary raises his eyebrows as he makes his way toward Thanos.

This mortal thinks he can outdo me? Thanos thinks.

Thanos begins to power up the three stones he has. The High Evolutionary sighs and bawls his fist, the beams of purple light on his metal suit glowing.

Thanos yells out in pain as his body levitate pf ground, making Gamora stepping back with he mouth opened in disbelief, Thanos's body drops to the floor cuasing a loud thud. The High Evolutionary looks down over his body.

Gamora gasps, so does Nebula. The two guards immediately knelt and begged for their lives to be spared. They knew that this was not a trick being played with the Reality Stone, but that Thanos was most certainly dead.

Gamora stares at The High Evolutionary, tears still burning her eyes from her sister being tortured in front of her. Shook, she takes steps back even more.

The High Evolutionary turns and walks away. Still in the ship, it’s time for him to take control of.

The High Evolutionary looks at some of Thanos’ soldiers star struck faces. He only thinks of one thing

It’s time for 89P13 to come home.

•

Gamora frantically helped Nebula reassemble.
“We still need to go to Titan,” Nebula starts,”if our father’s plan is still unfolding,It will unfold there.”

“Nebula-“ Gamora looked over at Thanos’ dead and still warm body as she helped her sister pop her arm back into her shoulder, “Thanos is dead.”

Thanos is dead.

“We…we still must go to Titan. To make sure that-that he’s really gone.” Nebula said.

There was a relief in her. A voice in her head that told her to leave everything behind right now. She fully wanted to believe that her abuser is dead, but there is no way her father could be dead.

Gamora sighed, she ran over to the screen toward the door and dialed in The Guardians’ comm number.

“It’s me, Gamora, we’re okay.” She started, ”I need you to meet us on Titan…and don’t worry about Thanos, I’ll explain everything when we get there.” She exhaled, finished typing, and pressed send.

Peter was sitting in the pilot’s seat of the Benatar. He had no idea where to go,he was just listening to ‘New York Groove’ on repeat. He didn’t know if he’d ever see Gamora again, and if he didn’t, that was one of the last songs he ever heard with her.

Suddenly the song goes off.

Peter looked over his shoulder and stops for a second,he then yelled, ”Turn it back on!”

“No!” Drax called back.

Peter jumped out of his seat and made his way over to Drax, who was around the corner.
“Turn it back on.” Peter said again, this time even more agitated at his fellow Guardian.

“I can’t keep listening to the same song!” Drax yelled, "Again and again and again!”

“I gotta get back in the groove man!”, Peter mad his way toward Drax and attempted to take the Zune, of his hand, ”Specifically the New York Groove! Give me my Zune. Give me my Zune!”

Drax pulls away. Drax and Peter ran around the ship like children, hollering at eachother.

“We lost Gamora because of you!” Peter argued.

“We lost Gamora because you wouldn’t let me seize the moment!” Drax growled back, still holding the Zune, ”You tried to kill her!”

“She said I’d be saving the universe!” Peter added, furious.

“I’d kill either of you if it stopped that blinking yellow light.” Mantis interjected. She’d been sitting in the middle of all of this.

“What?” Peter makes his way over to Mantis, ”This is the secret coded message channel. That would’ve been helpful.” He mumbled.

“22 secret coded messages!” Peter exclaimed, ”From-Gamora! It says It’s me, Gamora, we’re okay. I need you to meet us on Titan…and don’t worry about Thanos, I’ll explain everything when we get there.” Peter is confused. He looked back at Mantis and Drax.

“Don’t worry about Thanos?” Drax asked, ”she wants us to be happy about it?”

“I dunno…” Peter replied, ”all that matters is that she’s okay…”

He then continued reading the messages.
“Why aren’t you responding? Why aren’t you responding? Are you all okay? Are you getting my messages?…Coordinates.”

Peter just takes a really deep breath for not noticing the messages earlier while he types the coordinates into the Guardians’ map.

"Let's go and get Gamora back"

After Nebula reassembled, her and Gamora made it into the nearest ship. It was small, but it’d do. Anything would do to get away from that madman.

Nebula took control of the ship and Gamora sat by her side, they sat in silence for some time. Finally, Gamora started a conversation.

“How long did he have you?”

“Why do you need to know?” Nebula replied,harshly. It’s obvious that Nebula still has some sort of resentment toward Gamora.

“Nevermind. Im sorry I couldn’t have gotten to you earlier…” Gamora replied. She’s saddened that she couldn’t have reached her sister faster, she couldn’t imagine all the other horrors she was probably put through.

“Did you…did you recognize that maniac?” Nebula asked, still shocked. She could only hope that Thanos was truly dead.

“No,” Gamora replied, honestly,”but he obviously doesn’t have good intentions. I mean, when do super powerful people have good intentions?”

“You and the Guardians do.” Nebula continued piloting the ship.

“I guess,” Gamora mumbled,”A bit of good and bad.”

They sit in silence for awhile, then Nebula started talking again.

“Did you hear that he killed Loki?”

Gamora and Nebula had met Loki. He was sort of like a brother to them. They pitied him for the way he’d beg to the Mad Titan to stop his torture. They sympathized with him, but there was nothing they could do to help him escape Thanos’ wrath.

“No,” Gamora sighs,”do you know how?”

“Snapped his neck.” Nebula explained,”apparently it was quick.”

Gamora didn’t reply and didn’t say much else,she sat close to her sister and they made their way to Titan

About 3 hours before this,the Guardians of The Galaxy (or what was left of them anyway. Peter, Mantis, and Drax), Stephen Strange,Tony Stark, and Peter Parker are prepared for war.

Peter Quill hoped and prayed that Gamora was okay. He knew Thanos was the absolute worst father ever from what Gamora had told him.

Gamora also asked him-Peter-to kill her. And he didn’t, he messed up, and now she’ll die at the hands of her horrible father, they all might die, and he blames himself. However, he believes he can still fix this; If he could just get everyone in on his plan, he could rescue Gamora and save the world!

Not like it’s about saving the world, Peter thought, Just about rescuing Gamora.

Drax wanted nothing more than to rip Thanos’ heart out. Thanos was responsible for the deaths of Ovette and Camaria. His sweet Ovette and Camaria who he would’ve given his life for. If it took him dying to get his revenge on Thanos, then so be it.

Tony had been anxious for this day ever since the attack on New York. He felt that he was going to die and that no matter what he did Thanos would win. Yeah, he had the wizard with the stone and a group of outcasts from space with powers, but outside of that, he has no one. Just himself, and he has to protect the people he loves most: Pepper Potts and Peter Parker.

They waited…and waited. But nobody came.

“Uhm, Strange, is our guy coming?” Tony questioned, unsure about the situation.

“Yes. Be patient, Stark.” Stephen replied, annoyed.

They waited for another hour, that’s when a ship began to land.

“Is that…?” Stephen started, getting ready to fight.

Everyone hid except Stephen.

As of the ship landed, Peter Quill raised a hand to Mantis and Drax to signal for them to wait. Stephen Strange and Tony Stark still were prepared for Thanos, but it is not Thanos who has made it to Titan.

The extremely small ship/pod lands and two people walked out of it cautiously. Two women: Gamora and Nebula.

Peter Quill ran to them and hugged Gamora tightly, ”I thought I’d lost you.”

“You can’t get rid of me that quickly, Peter.” Gamora exhaled and put her face in his shoulder, the two hadn't been a day away from each other and what a torture it was from them.

“You could’ve told us you had more friends coming, Footloose.” Stark called, unamused. He’s slightly relived that he has a few more minutes to relax before Thanos arrived.

“Yeah well we didn’t know that our company would really show up.” Peter Quill replied, still hugging Gamora.

“If you’re here,” Stephen cautiously comes out of hiding,” where’s Thanos?”

“That’s a long story…” Gamora starts,but Nebula interrupts.

“Dead.” Nebula mumbled, louder than she meant to.

“Excuse me?”, Stephen flew over to her, ”what did you say?”

“This megalomaniac murdered him.” Nebula looked at Stephen, ”We came here to make sure he was truly dead. And we see he is.”

Stephen had seen into the future with his time stone over 14 million possibilities pf Thanos always showing up to fight them, they lose in each fight except for one, now that he is not coming he is not sure anymore to what will come next, it scared him not knowing.

Stephen wasn't the only one in shock, they all were.Peter Quill pulled back from Gamora.“Is that true?” Quill asked, pulling away.

“Yes.” Gamora noded.

“You’re positive?” Quill can’t believe her,”Who-who killed him?”

Gamora looked at the circle that’s formed around her. Stephen,Tony,Peter Parker,Mantis,and Drax were around her,”I don’t know-“

“Start from the beginning.” Stephen demanded,”who killed Thanos?”

•

The team waited, they really did. However, they all knew that Thanos was gone.

Stephen suggested that they take his portal back to New York right outside of his Sanctum Sanctorum to protect the time stone, but the Guardians wanted to go to find Groot and Rocket.

Rocket had sent the Benatar coordinates to Wakanda, so the Guardians knew how to get there. That’s when Stephen,Tony, and Peter Parker parted ways with the Guardians. Tony, Stephen, and Peter Parker returned to New York.

Chapter Text

Back on earth, in the most powerful and technological nation in the world, the home of the black panther.

Every last standing soldier is ready for the mad titan's appearance, looking over their shoulders not knowing when he'll strick again.

The battle with the mad titans army had ended on their side, all thanks to last second save from Thor odinson and his tree friend, and rabbit, although they are all sure he is not a rabbit.

If it wasn't for them, this could've ended up differently, they'll be the ones on the floor still not moving. 

The king of the Great nation had order to retrieve all the injured soldiers to wakanda's nearest hospital to treat their wounds, as for the bodies of the fallen wakandan soldiers; He had also order to be taken well care of them and pay respect and honer their heroic death, but they can't hold the funerals now, can they?

Not with knowing the worst yet to come.

They waited, waited, waited even more, the sun is going down and the moon is rising, the sound of the flames in the field going down, after that it was silent; The only sound to be heard is the echoing of the night creatures.

They were willing to wait for as long as it take, they knew this could be the fight of their life and the whole universe.

Except that will... didn't last long.

Midnight is upon them, Captain America, Black Widow, The falcon, and the Black Panther are the kind of people you dont want to mess with, all retrieved back to the king's place in the city to get patched up with their injuries and find a more stable plane to fight of this giant purple alien they've been waiting for.

As for the Scarlet Witch and Vision; they went back to the princess's lab with Bruce Banner to try and remove the infinity stone.

Whom stayed behind ready for any sudden appearance. Their hearts were beating so fast they could hear them, while their ears still ringing from the battle that ended hours ago. 

It was dark in the field the only light they were receiving was from the beautiful light of wakanda's cities. Wakanda was so beautiful, the type of places you'll only see in your wildest dreams, and the people of the nation are more than welcome and kind-hearted.

War machine was scanning the sky like a hawk waiting to strick when its the right time, White Wolf and his new little guns loving friend, are monitoring the field's borders, making sure nothing comes in or out after they put the shield back up. 

"So what are you exactly?" Bucky had broke the silence he could swear has been going on forever, "Thor called you a rabbit but you don't look like one" he looked down to face the raccoon.

"Rocket" the raccoon responded with a tone in his voice, "I'm just Rocket" gazing up into the eyes of the wolf, the look in his eyes hinting he wants to end this conversation and won't talk about it.

Bucky just nodded in understanding, he knows whats it like for people going into your personal life when you don't want them to, so why would he do the same.

"I'm Bucky by the way" 

"Not nice to meet you" 

Rocket's respond got a chuckle out of Bucky, And Rocket had noticed that , I guess all humans are stupid and it's not just Quill, Rocket's own thought had made him chuckle too.

The raccoons ears twitch at the sound of footsteps coming from behind, setting off his flight or fight mood, quickly turning around, pointing his gun to whatever and whoever shadow's was behind them, he wasn't about to take risks.

"Easy there little fella" a woman's voice emerged, she slowing came into picture the closer she got, "I should know better than sneaking up on you boys with you big guns".

Short haired blond woman, with a smile on her face, waering a military green vest, gun on each hip, and a metal staff straped on her back.

Rocket lowered his gun, he had seen her fight in the battle against Thanos's army.

"Don't blame him" Bucky said in Rocket's defense "he is a jumpy one" Rocket glaring up at him growling.

The woman laughed at the wolf's face, he looked anxious that the raccoon might jump and attack him at any second.

Bucky cleared his throat, "Rocket meet the black widow, Natasha Romanoff" Bucky introduced Nat to him with what seemed like joy in his voice, spreading his arms to her.

She took a pose, hands on hips, head up with a smile on her face.

Rocket knew very few about earthlings, all he knew about them was from Quill, beside they are stupid, they had this weird habit of finding time to joke around in the most tense times, they might call it being optimistic but he called it being naive and even more stupid.

Rocket sighed at both of them, "Heya" is all that came out of him.

"Not so social i see, i respect that" Natasha smiling at his dry respond, dropping her pose, "Anything new yet?" She asked them.

"No" Bucky sigh in defeat, oh how much he would've loved to make some holes in the big purple alien that took down the hulk, this fact scared him a little but if he was the one to take him down, he will be more than just the ex-winter soilder, a machine more than a human made to kill.

"Just stupid dead chitauri", Rocket said kicking what looked like a severed chitauri's arm, or leg? Who knows these creatures are ugly and they are dead, thats what matters.

"I don't think I can take the smell either", He continued looking at the field.

The field is being cleaned from bodies by wakandans, fluting shuttles being felled with bodies, they where wearing masks and protected suits, keeping all their senses safe, lucky ones.

"You know you're friend Groot asked about you" Nat stated grabbing both of their attentions looking down at Rocket "or at least thats what Thor told us".

Rocket had told Groot to go with Thor to the city, it was hard to convince him at first but the kid can't say no to his dad for long. Rocket knew he will be much safer in the city with Thor than with him out in the open with Thanos who already has 2 infinity stones to his knowledge, about to attack them.

I wonder what that kid's doing? Not troubles I hope, Rocket sigh, I should've giving him a comm or something.

"You came all the way here to say this to us", Bucky snorted ,"you could have just told us in our comms"

"And mess the chance to see you" Natasha teased him.

If it wasn't as dark as it is where they are you could see Bucky blush a little but no need to see him turn red to know he was a bit shocked with the answer.

"I mean...and to scare you" Nat said fast throwing her hand to them after realizing how that sounded, she was good with talking to people and get them to say whatever she wants from them, is either with flirting with them or threatening them, anything that will get them to talk.

For as long as she thought she was good at flirting, until it came to her doing it out of true attraction, and not for the purpose of getting out what she wants from people. 

Silence filled the air between them, Rocket just rolled his eyes at them, he might get a headache of how many times he had rolled them in one day.

"Anyways..." Nat took a deep breath, trying to make this less awkward ,"The king requested for your present in the palace" she looked down back at the raccoon, "especially you" her voice was so soothing, comforting to hear.

"Me?" The masked bandit ears went up in question with a bit of shock.

"Thor said one of your teammates is Thanos's daughter" crossing her hands over her chest, her eyes widened, not dropping the smile yet.

"he thinks you could give us some Informations about who we're facing, you think you could help us out?", There's something about her soft-lighted voice that makes you want to tell her all your secrets one by one.

"I..." before he was able to respond, his comm turned on "Rocket" a man's voice called for him, Natasha and Bucky got closer to him to understand what is going on, "do you copy man?, come one answer"

Rocket immediately opened his comm channel, "Yeah I'm here, Quill", with all enthusiasm he answered him.

"It's good to hear voice, Are you okay? Did you make the weapon with Thor?"

"Who is that?" The black widows expressions hardened, her mouth slightly open.

Rocket ignored her question once more, "yeah I'm good, got the weapon but no Thanos yet, Did you encounter him?"

"No...I mean yes, we..." the voice cut off, "we are close to enter the atmosphere of..." he paused, Natasha and Bucky exchanged glances in confusion, it wasn’t everyday for them to be overhearing a conversation between a talking raccoon and a space man.

"Earth" the man's voice seem hurt in a way, or it might be just the glitches making his voice sound weird "we are entering the planet, heading to your coordinates you sent us, keep-" 

The raccoons comm let's out sparks then smoke, Rocket shouted removing his comm of his wrist as a wave of shock went through his whole nerve system, stupid cybernetic implants.

he might have damaged it in the battle or something, not sure exactly what happened, all he knows it hurts as shit plus it's busted now after just one call.

"Are you okay?" Bucky seemed genuinely concerned for him, Rocket didn't come to earth to make friends or be pity on.

"I'm fine" Rocket grumbled, mumbling something under his breath, "freaking comm"

Nat got closer to the pair, "does the king know you are bringing more of your friends to his kingdom?"

Rocket was basing between her and the comm. He had sent the coordinators to them without the king's knowledge.

"You did tell him right?", This time she wasn't as calm as she was before, her voice got deeper, more demanding. 

He didn't understand why was she angry at him now, it's not like he did something bad, like killing have the publication, that's Thanos's job to do.

"No I didn't" he admitted to her, with an attitude, he seemed to regret afterword. To be fair he didn't even think they'll reserve the coordinators.

"You idiot you know what that means" she warned him. 

Rocket just rolled his eyes, so what, it's not like THE KING owns the planet, he looked to his side, facing the blue city's energy barrier.

The smirk he had on his face never been dropped so fast, he locked up at the sky with panic in his face...

the sheild.

Rocket didn't waist not a single second, he immediately took off running. Natasha and Bucky exchanged glances before going after him.

Rocket was running on all fours it was hard to catch up with him, but not even a minute later they were running right beside him.

"Why you didn't say you invited your friends to the party", Bucky shouted running next of the two.

Wakanda's technology was not like any other technology Rocket had seen, most of the cities his been to had barriers but they weren't like this one, not vibranium and unable to be detected by landing ships without a before knowledge of it being there.

They have to get to T'Challa, ask him to open the shield before the rest of the guardians get to Wakanda only to hit the shield that'll killing them all.

Rocket couldn't contact them in his comm for obvious reasons nor can Groot or anyone that matter fact, they'll hit the sheild and die because of me. Is the only thought was going inside of his head.

"Really barnes", Nat protested at Bucky's comment gasping, "party?" She rose a brow she didn't care if he saw it or not.

"I didn't know they will get it" Rocket still running on all four "I thought they..." he felt his heart itch for a second, feeling heavy in his throat.

After he saw what Thanos had done on Nidavellir, he was scared for the sake of his friends he abandoned, so he can go with the angel pirate.

He never stopped thinking about how the last thing he had said to them is calling them morons and leaving them, how much he would've regretted that and felt guilty. Hearing Peter's voice on the other side of his comm, made him feel relieved. I'm not about to lose you morons.

He looked back at the two humans "it doesn't matter now, we have to get to the king"

He sped up leaving a bigger gap between him and the two.

T'Challa had came back on a shuttle to the end of his city at the top of the field, along side captain america and the falcon, with the general of the dora milaji too, Okoye.

His most trusted warrior, who him and Shuri for years had concerned her like their sister, who always kept them away from troubles, mostly it was Shuri.

"Do you think he will show up?" Asked Sam wilson who one day he was nothing more than just a veteran United States Air Force Pararescueman who specializes in the use of an advanced jet pack with articulated wings,

now he is an aveneger for being a friend with the right or wrong people, he himself wonders that, a fight after a fight is all he knew ever since he joined them. They are good people with good intentions they also didn't ask for this life style, Sam would remind himself everytime.

"Do you want me to lie to you?" Steve smirked looking at him.

Steve threw his hand on his friend's shoulder, "if he showed up we are ready for him, and he won't lnow what hit him" Steve resured Sam looking more nervous than ever.

When half of them have some superpowers going through their veins, he saw him as just a man with metal wings and guns, what is he gonna do against grimace with powerful glowing stones.

Sam noded to him, feeling a bit better about their situation, we have a God and a crazy Witch on our side, the hell this Thanos got on us?, he recalled to himself.

T'Challa had always admired Steve's leadership, whether from the stories he used to hear in the lessons of learning about the outside world when he was a kid, just like how he admired other leaders he knew in his life.

Some turned out to be actually worse than he imagined, even Steve at some point he had lost his respect for him.

He never thought there will come a day he will fight on his side like in the stories let alone against him like two years ago.

T'Challa's life had changed in many ways in these past two years then his imagination could ever comprehend.

He lost his father, blamed and wanted to seek revenge on someone who was nothing more than just a victim, a pown in a long played game. He had to face his long lost cousin who also seeked revenge for his father's murder, his uncle whom was killed by his father.

I guess revenge runs in the family. 

"ukumkani wam" Okoye spoke in a Xhosa with a warning in her voice, she got him outside of his thoughts.

The General tightent her grip on her vibranium spear, he looked over what she was triggered by, not so far from them, three figures where running towards them.

He noticed them, and put up his hand mid air front of Okoye to relax her, telling her no worries is just their friends.

Chapter Text

Once the three: Natasha, Bucky and Rocket; got to them, they were out of breath, barely feeling their legs

"Why you didn't just used a ride or something instead of running" Sam mocked them trying his best not to laugh at the site of them

Rocket was far away from the mode to respond to Sam's joke, "you have to open the city's energy barrier" he inhaled big time to get this out looking up at T'Challa.

"What?!" Okoye stepped in wondering what if the samll creature even know what he just asked for them to do.

"And why would I do that?" T'Challa argued

"His friends are coming and they don't know about the shield" Natasha spoke

Rocket's head was spinning trying to get hold of his breath, he looked behind him to see Natasha herself struggling to breath, with her hand on her stomach,  he saw her get an awful hit there in the battle and walked off just to go back fighting, Bucky was next her who seemed completely fine, unbothered like he didn't just run God knows how long with them,
Are they even humans?.He turned around to face the king once more.

"They'll die if you don't open it" he said calming down when in reality T'Challa's silence made him even more anxious. Why would he open his doors to strangers, his ears went down to this thought, still waiting a respond from T'Challa.

T'Challa kneeled down to be at the same level as Rocket.

Rocket appreciate it when someone does this, he always have to look up to talk with people while they look down at him, he saw it as a sign of them respecting him.

"Your friends..." the king spoke to him with an accent ,"can they be trusted?" He asked the raccoon.

Rocket noded in silence, he wanted to talk so badly but he knew his voice might crack if he does.

T'Challa doesn't fully trust Rocket but the look in his eyes was innocent mixed wtih sadness, he feared that he might say no and let his friends die. But that is not who T'Challa is, he is not his father, he is not his uncle, he is not his cousin. He is someone greater, he wants to be that at least.

T'Challa stood up, breaking his eye contact with Rocket , looking at Okoye, "we will open the upper half of the barrier" he conformed, Rocket let out a sigh of relieve.

"But my king" Okoye argued.

T'Challa gave her a look to just trust his decision, she understood and stood up staright saluting him with one arm across her chest.

As she was done saluting him her kimoyo beads started humming, she opened them to see a hologram of earth with a red dot coming closer to them, they all got closer to her to see it.

Okoye looked at her king who still as confident with his choice, this will be the second time they open it to let in outsiders, except this time they are at least on their side.

T'Challa had put his finger on the earpiece he had, "open the upper half of the barrier", he had order once again.

"On your command my king"

"Now"

They all looked up at the sky turning bright blue, as it reaps open from the middle into two halves, two lasers decending down, it stopped in the middle making the barrier less of a bubble more like walls surrounding Wakanda.

They kept stearing at the stars of the night sky,  the breeze was so chilling, not cold nor hot, just perfect, the full moon in the middle of it all, shining bright.

Bucky looked at Nat admiring the sky, it was nice to have some peace and quite even if it's for few seconds, for a long time they thought they would never have these few seconds.

T'Challa looked down at Rocket and he just gave him a nod, Rocket returned the gesture, as he mouthed "thank you" to him, T'Challa smiled and looked back up at the stars.

"Is it just me or these stars are getting closer?" Sam asked pointing to the sky, there where truly small white dots getting closer to them. All of their focus went to it.

A ship in the sky had entered wakanda, "it's them" Rocket got flattered at the sight and sound of the Benatar.

"Ahh guys is this ship with us or?" Rhody concerned in their ears having no idea should he shoot it down or not.

"Relax man it's with us" Bucky replied, "mind take a look if someone had follow them"

"Copy that"

They could see from where they are the war machine armor storming outside of the barrier.

Rocket started stepping forward as the Benatar was landing close to them, in the field as close to the city as it can be.

He looked behind him to see the new friends he gained from this crazy day smiling to him, T'Challa, Okoye, Steve, Sam, Bucky, Natasha. He only thought he have came her to stop Thanos for all he knew, guess the universe had different plans for him.

The benetar had landed but no one came out of it yet, they all headed towards it, Rocket saw Groot being ascorted by four Dora's.

Groot ran to him, Rocket was happy to know his adopted son was safe unharmed, he never wanted him to grow up in an environment of war, but it's to late for that right? After all he was carrying a bomb to blow it up in the mind of a celestial and almost got crushed to death, It scared him the fact he might get hurt or even worse and he won't be there for him.

Groot got down to hug his dad, "I'm fine buddy" Rocket comforted him. Groot pulled back and Rocket tilted his head to their ship.

They walked together to it with the rest of there new gang following behind.

The ship's back hanger started lowering, Peter was the first to step out of it, he took a deep breath looking around him.

This was his first time coming back to earth in 30 years, he never planed in coming back, not in a long time, he had found a new family and he didn't want to think of the one on this rock. Not to mention, his last memory from here wasn't exactly all rainbow and butterflies, he had lost his mother who ment the world to him, earth only brings back painful memories.

He saw Rocket and Groot approaching him, Drax, Gamora and Mantis got out not longer after Peter did.

"How hard is it for you to pick up a call" Peter scolded Rocket.

"What can I say man, bad reception I guess" He joked.

Groot ran to hug Mantis, she was just as happy to see him too, then Drax and Peter, "I missed you too buddy" Peter said to him. As he was going for a hug from Gamora she seemed upset, nervous on the edge, looking down.

"I am groot" -Are you okay mom?- he asked her concerned, "what.." Gamora looked up to look at the teenager, "yeah...yeah I'm good".

"You don't look good for someone who is good" Rocket said from behind Groot, "Is it Thanos?", he knows when she is lying.

She is a terrible liar especially when she has something in her mind that is bothering her, or even worse when it scares her. Who would make the deadliest woman in tha galaxy this scary if it was only her crazy father.

"What is about Thanos?" T'Challa asked stepping up.

Nebula had joined them outside next to Gamora after hearing the name drops of her father.

"I'm sorry who are you?" Peter asked T'Challa having no clue who these people are other than Groot and Rocket, he had his hand on his blaster.

Okoye had her spear ready to hit anyone dares to make a move on her king.

"Relax cowboy" Rocket sighed to Peter, "they're with us, remember the avenegrs idiots Thor talked about.." he looked behind him to take a look at them, "yeah that's them, tho they don't seem that idiot"

Steve and the others didn't know if they should take this as an insult or a compliment. But at least it made him and Okoye calm down.

"Huh we need to stop keep running into each other like this" Drax laughed.

"What do you mean by that?" Steve questioned.

"We ran into guys named Tony stark and Doctor Strange, they had a spider kid with them"

Natasha looked at Steve, "where are they now" she asked the space cowboy.

"Strange opened a portal to New York and got them out of the planet we were on"

So Tony is safe, Natasha had seen the news the other day about him going messing, she never stopped thinking about what had happened to him or where did he go, He really needs to stop getting himself in these situations.

"They didn't want anything to do with Thanos once they knew what had happened to him" he continued.

Peter looked over at Gamora who was still silent, looking down. She hoped that these people would believe her. They won't believe me. Thanos, dead? And without a fight? They'll think I came here to lie to them. They won't trust us.

"Where is Thanos?" Okoye asked sternly, walking up to her and Nebula.

"He's dead." Peter shrugged his shoulders and said bluntly, "I wasn't there but apparently this guy came and just crushed his soul. Hopefully not a lot to worry about."

"What?!" Steve is the first one to speak after that. None of the rest of them believed Rocket's friend.

Thor had told them that some of these guardians had some screws loose, maybe this is what he meant.

"Is that true?" T'challa looked to Nebula and Gamora, "If it is, that's either horrifying or something else."

"Is Thanos dead?" Natasha asked as everyone's voices began to pick up. A circle had started forming around the Guardians' ship. Tons of concerned civilians wondered if they were about to prepare for war.

"Yes" Gamora looked over at Rocket,who was more than confused. "He's dead."

"Who's dead?" One of the Wakandan civilians yelled.

"Is she talking about Thanos?" Another called.

The civilians had came out of hiding once they felt Thanos was a no show after all.

People where shouting for answers, Rhody had landed, usually he makes a loud noise once he land but it wasn't heard over all the voices of Wakanda.

"What did I mess?" Rhodey was the most confused out of them all.

"Not much just that Thanos is dead" Sam broke the news to him.

"What??" Rhodey had plenty of questions after this one.

"Everyone!" T'challa shouted over them," we are safe for now. Go back to your homes! Me and the general shall further discuss this matter with this team privately."

Some of the civilians began to retreat as the group entered the ship.

Okoye protested, but T'challa was willing to trust the Guardians. After all, they were friends with Thor...and he is friends with Steve...even though T'challa and Steve hadn't trusted eachother a few years back, T'challa always tried to find the good in people.

Rocket looked at Peter as they entered the ship,"Ya sure he's gone?"

"Well Gamora and Nebula said they watched him fall to the ground." Peter replied and sat down.

"Make yourselves at home." Gamora told the Avengers who'd entered her and her teams ship," This is gonna be a lot."

"This man killed Thanos?" T'Challa asked the team he was standing by. He, Natasha, Steve, Sam, Bucky, and Okoye had followed the Guardians inside their ship for an interrogation. Well, maybe it wasn't an interrogation, maybe they were all just talking over eachother.

The ship wasn't as big as it looks from the outside, it was bit crowded inside that some of them took a place to sit on or lean on some wall to gave space in the middle.

"Yes." Gamora replied, still shook.

"He acted like he wanted to make a deal." Nebula stated, "We have no idea how he got into Thanos' chamber. My father hasn't had a break in-ever."

"Wait," Bucky interrupted, "You're Thanos' daughter?"

"They were adopted." Answered Drax before Nebula or Gamora could answer. Drax was ready to fight of anyone that didn't take of liking with this mew information.

"They?" Steve asked.

"Me and Nebula," Gamora motioned to Nebula, "were taken from our home worlds and trained to kill...by Thanos. He had never had some one break in. I mean,I never thought he'd die. But he collapsed in front of me. That mad man killed him."

Bucky, T'Challa, Natasha, Steve, Okoye,& Sam continued to ask Gamora and Nebula questions. Peter, Drax, and Mantis kept asking questions too. Gamora and Nebula had no answers they were obviously baffled.

"What did he look like?" Sam asked Nebula.

"He was wearing purple. Had some sort of skin mask on. Might've been Terran. Might have not been." Replied Nebula.

This sparked even more questions.

"He could've been Asgardian, or something else" Natasha suggested.

"Did he follow you?",  T'Challa seemed to be more concerned about the idea of having another mad man in his nation.

"I don't know", Gamora had he hands in the air in confusion shaking her head.

They all kept talking and discussing these matters. Rocket, however, just sat there by Bucky staring off into the distance.

He wore a skin mask and wore purple. He killed Thanos. He's might be after us. Rocket had begun shaking, as he started connecting some dots. Maybe i'm just on edge. It couldn't be him. Well it could. But hopefully not. Hopefully not. What would he want with us? Me? What would he do to my friends? What would he do to Groot?

Groot around that time came and sat by Rocket and Bucky. He had put the game down now, and was starting to be concerned. He looked at Rocket. Rocket leaned into him and sighed.

As they talked, The Guardians comms started to beep.

"Hey is that important?" Natasha asked none of the Guardians in particular.

"Not more important than this." Mantis watched as Peter hopped up from beside her and declined the message on the comms system. They were done with missions right now.

They continued to talk and talk. Not getting anywhere. T'Challa was worried about preparing Wakanda for another war.

They had had way too many casualties to just get back up and get to fighting again. He needed to try and prevent this.

After about another 30 minutes had passed, T'Challa said, "If he had followed you here I have to warn my people" he stood up from his seat.

"none of you will be leaving Wakanda in the time being" He makes his way out of the ship. Bucky shrugs his shoulders and follow him. Okoye also followed.

Mantis stood up and turned the comm system on. They had numerous missed calls and messages and one video was available. Out of curiosity, she decided to play it.

"Guardians Of The Galaxy..."The same man that had murdered Thanos now was on the projection coming from the Guardians comm system.

"Look." Bucky stopped T'Challa in his tracks and they watched the recording.

"Giving your number out to just anyone on your little commercial is a bit foolish don't you think?" The man, who was most definitely the same one who had killed Thanos continued.

"I have hacked your foolishly put together system. I have your coordinates. I am coming for you 89P13. And when I have you, you will pay for everything you've done to me. I will put you through everything before killing you." The man raised a knife to the screen.

"And at the end I shall remove your brain and make countless remarkable species with it. Who knows, maybe the first planet that I'll populate will be Earth. I'll see you then P13, that's where the fun shall begin."

The recording goes off abruptly and the team is completely frozen in shock.

Rocket had tears in his eyes and was shaking. The team wasn't paying much attention to him right now, but he needed it.

He's coming for me.
He's going to kill me.

Rocket began to rock back in forth. The only one who noticed at first was Groot. But he didn't know why his father was acting that way. He looked at him and then looked away.

T'Challa exhaled, "Well. It seems you have certainly brought a war to Wakanda." He exited the ship, stressed and anxious. He thought he'd saved Wakanda from doom with Thanos, but now might go down because of another intergalactic threat.

"Who's 89P13?" Natasha asked Gamora directly, assuming she'd know.

"It sounds familiar." Gamora started," Whoever they are. We know them. It must be a code name for one of us, or one of you guys."

Peter began to focus on Rocket as the team started to prepare. Rockets shaking from let Peter know that something was up.

Peter grabbed Rockets hand and whispered, "Can we talk about something real quick? About that maniac?"

Rocket jumped up and walked out, he was followed by Groot.

Now Peter knew and he remembered: Rocket is 89P13. He'd heard it when they were in prison together. Rocket's name was 89P13.

That meant that that madman was coming to Wakanda to kill Rocket.

"Rocket-" Peter followed the two of them:Groot and Rocket. He knew that it was Rocket. That 89P13 was Rocket.

"Not now, Quill." Rocket replied sternly, he then looked at Groot,"You and Quill go back to the ship. I'm going to get some rest."

Groot stopped in his tracks at Peter caught up to Rocket.

"Rocket," Peter grabed Rockets arm, stopping him from running off, "I just want to talk to you."

Rocket started yanking his arm away from the taller man, "Quill,what's wrong with you?! Let me go!" He yelled more than said.

"Rocket, stop you're going to hurt yourself! Are you 89P13?" Peter tried to talk over Rocket as calmly as possible.

Rocket looked away from him and stopped struggling. His silence almost answered the question for him. He had tears well up in his eyes from how scared he was.

He knows,Thought Rocket, He's gonna give me away. They all will.

Groot kneeled down by his father and Peter, "I Am Groot?" <Are you okay,Dad?>

That's the damn question, tears started raining out of his eyes; In that moment, Rocket was nothing more than just a hurt little raccoon able to hear his heart beats going only faster.

"Rocket, come here." Peter let go of Rockets arm and wrapped both of his hands around the raccoonoids body. "I'm not going to let him hurt you. I promise."

Rocket sniffled and put his face into Peters shoulder, "You won't?"

"I promise. We aren't going let him hurt you. Can you tell us why he's trying to hurt you though? Did you steal something from him?" Peter questioned, keeping Rocket close to his body. Groot leaned over on Peters shoulder.

"No..." Rocket didn't know if he was lying or not. He hadn't stolen anything from the man, he'd escaped.

"I Am Groot?" <What does he want with you then?> Groot asked.

"He wants me." Rocket choked out, staying close to Peter.

He didn't fully trust anyone here, especially not Steve and any of the Avengers. He felt that if they found out that they'd turn him in immediately. He didn't blame the King of Wakanda though, he would be trying to protect his people. So,would Rocket even blame them if they gave him away?

"Yeah we got that. Why does he want you?" Peter asked, looking at Rocket. Rocket still wouldn't look at him.

"He-" Rocket started. Right about that time, Natasha Romanoff, Bucky Barnes, and the rest of the gang had walked over. Rocket stopped talking. He didn't really feel comfortable talking about it in front of his new friends. Or even his other teammates. He didn't want to talk about this at all. He never wanted to have to talk about this.

"What's going on?" Sam interrogated the two," Do you guys know something that we don't?"

”Sam-" Natasha interrupted, "They might not." Natasha had already came to the conclusion that Rocket was 89P13.

The way he'd stormed out so abruptly really gave him away.

”No-" Peter answered, awkwardly.

Gamora kneeled down by Rocket. Rocket finally looked up.

"Actually-" Rocket itched his nose, "I think we do..." He sounded empty and horrified. His voice was already shaking and raspier than usual.

"And what may that be?" T'Challa asked. At this point, everyone had their suspicion that it was Rocket.

"He wants me." Rocket didn't dare to look into any of their eyes. A wave of humiliation swept over him.

Why?" Drax also sat down by his friends.

"Can...can we just go in?" Rocket asked, looking at T'Challa,"Y'know, get all comfortable and such?"

"Yes." Rocket being honest and not hiding this migure fact made T'Challa trust Rocket and his friends more.

"We can go inside, but can you truthfully tell me why this man is coming to attack my nation once we are seated?"

Rocket nodded and looked back down.

They're gonna be in for one heck of a ride

Chapter Text

T'Challa had taken them to his palace, he took them to what seemed like a living room two Dora's both of its doors, to reveal a large room in the right upper corner a brown wooden table in the middle of a set of couches and chairs around it, mirroring it to the left a small kitchen set and a small bar, between the seating place and the kitchenis a glass door leads to the balcony.

An empty space right in front of them with a darker tone of brown rug, than the walls who looked golden with words in Xhosa written on them, and a beautiful chandelier in the middle of the room just adding the perfection of it.

Rocket was the first to sit down, he felt his legs wanting to give up on him.

They followed him and got seated after him, waiting for him to open his mouth to speak.

They'd all assumed that it was Rocket, but they didn't know it would be this hard to get Informations out of him. Nebula was leaning against one of the walls watching as Thor was going back and forth after he had put his ask on the kitchen counter.

Thor had joined their conversation, he had been helping the people of wakanda to come back to their houses afte they had evacuated the city, he couldn't help his people the least he can do is helping another noble king's kingdom.

Thor had seen the Benatar land and immediately recognized it, he didn't bother to go and see who is in it since he had already knew, seeing them all the guardians and the avengers heading to the palace together lit up the curiosity in him.

He had no idea what had happened.

"What is happening?" Thor asked Steve as they where entering the palace.

"Thanos is dead" Steve was so tired, so done of all of this. He just wanted to get a long nice sleep, the past few years were crazy on him too.

Thor went blank, who could have taken my revenge on Thanos?, he felt as if someone had punched him straight in his lungs, leaving them completely empty, Thanos had destroyed everything he had loved in couple hours, Loki, Heimdall, half of his people...all gone because of him. Like losing both of his parents, and his eye to his psycho sister and his home planet wasn't enough.

Thor promised to kill Thanos for what he did, and he didn't even get to have that.

While they are still waiting to know more about th me man who killed Thanos, Rocket exhaled a shaky breath, looked down at the large enough seat (maybe it was a couch? He didn't know) and then started.

"I wasnt always like this. I mean you all know. I'm a lot different from all of you." Rocket shrugged his shoulders with that.

"That guy-that guy,The High Evolutionary, who sent that recording. He built me kind of. Just basically used my brain and my pieces and stuffed me with wires and metal."

"I'm sorry," Bucky interrupted," That must've been awful."

They all knew that Bucky somewhat knew what that was like. It made sense that he was the first one to say something.

Rocket continued,"He did it to thousands.He hated the way things were, thought he could play God...which obviously he couldn't. But he tried anyway... He made his own planets and stuff. Like The Sovereign-"

"The Sovereign?" Thor and Drax interrupted almost in rhythm.

"Uhm-He tried to make this one planet. I was a kid, but he taught me everything he knew and stuff. And I figure it out. I figured out how to get his grand plan to work. And he was jealous. He told me he was going to kill me. And why? Because I figured it out and he didn't." Rocket had started zoning out at this point, he was still continuing his explanation, but was also reliving all of this.

"So, I escaped...and he wants me back. Apparently to take my brain like he wanted all those years ago. He hates me, and I feel the same way about him so the feelings mutual"

Rocket finally took a breath, he felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted of his shoulders, letting all this out to his friends without hiding made him feel vulnerable but relieved he doesn't have to hide anything anymore.

"And if he gets me, he will be able to create his own army of creatures with my mind. He'll be able to take over any planet he wants. He's done it before. I just.... cant imagine everything he's going to do to me if he gets his hands on me.", of course he wasn't done.

"Well, he's not going to." Natasha assured Rocket,"we won't let him."

Rocket was shocked,completely.

"And why? There's nothing in it for you."

"Because I understand." Natasha told him,"more of us understand than you know."

"Yeah." Nebula finally had spoken up. She was scared, she was relieved that her father was gone now, but she was scared. And she knew how it was to be torn apart over and over. As if you're a toy with no feelings. "Yeah we understand. We're not going to let him get you."

Gamora gave Nebula an upside-down sad smile with a nod as she looked down, she later on had gotten out of her seat and went over Rocket, sitting by him, she asked, "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Because I didn't want you to pity me. But I guess that's over now." Rocket said, bluntly.

"We don't pity you, Rocket." Mantis reassured Rocket, "We just want to help you."

T'Challa stood up and sighed, "I'm sorry that those things happened to you. I won't allow that psycho to come into my kingdom and hurt you. Or any of you got that matter."

"You won't?" Rocket asked, tears has began welling up in his eyes,"Why? You have no reason to trust us or held us?"

"Because," Steve told him, "As I told a friend, we don't trade lives. You're not going to die."

"Beside this isn't just about trust", it's T'Challa's turn to answer his question, "it's about humanity and having empathy, no one should be treated like that, that man is coming here either way so it became wakanda's problem too"

T'Challa stopped and remembered his once friend's words, "You let the refugees in, they bring their problems with them", T'Challa brushed away the traitors words out of his head, he knew what he was doing is right, but why doesn't I feel like it.

maybe W'kabi was right, no no he wasn't, they need help, I shall give to who is in need.

Rocket finally let it out. He began to cry and looking down, letting the tears fall down off his face onto his pants.

Peter walked over quickly and on the other side of him, "It's okay. I promise. It's okay."

Rocket leaned into Peter and cried, feeling even more vulnerable than ever.

"Look," Bucky finally spoke what he'd been thinking, "None of us want to go back to where we came from. We won't let you go back. You're gonna be fine."

Rocket wished he could feel at peace.He wished he could be happy with this found family, but he was scared right now.

Because as sad as it was, he didn't believe them. He didn't believe that they could protect him against his creator. And deep down, he doubted that he'd make it out of this situation alive. He put his head into Peter and closed his eyes. He thought to himself, Enjoy this while you can. Because it's all gonna be over soon.

The guardians had moved The Benatar from the opened field to the palace's hanger.

Two Dora's took them to the city to get them settled in the house the kind had assigned for them, while they where walking in what looked like at least 1 AM, they were surprised to see most of the people were awake.

The streets of the golden city were truly golden, lines of gold light connecting from one building to the one in front of it, markets are being opened, people talking and helping one another, kids running around, shuttles flying above their heads.

They saw a group of people hugging while crying in each other's arms, they might have lost someone in the battle against Thanos's army.

And yet many of the locals had given them gifts: food, fruits, jewelry, hand shakes, and smiles...

Gamora handed all of the gifts she got to Drax who was gladly holding most of the gifts they had gotten, she sped up to get in between the two women whom where ascorting them.

"Why are they giving us gifts?" She asked one of them.

"You are our guests, despite our situation, we still have to make you feel welcomed", Aneka was the name of one of them, she had tattoos looking like plants coming out of her eyes in a beautiful way.

"We don't deserve them", Gamora admitted to her.

"Will it's to late to return them now" Aneka joked, making the other dora smile, she fasted forward after that to be ahead of them all.

"Thank you for all of this", Gamora said in her mots soft and polite tone she has.

"Of course even thought I'm not the one you should be thanking", She took a dramatic pause, "but the king"

Gamora noded to her, he and the guardianshad thanked T'Challa for his generosity, except they felt their thanks weren't enough.

"What's your name?", Aneka was curious to know the green lady name's.

"Gamora", having her hand out for Aneka to shake her, with a gentle smile she did so.

"I'm Aneka"

"Nice to meet you", Gamora returned the smile, "and her?"

They both looked at Ayo who is still ahead of them, "that's Ayo" she told her, she got closer to Gamora, almost whispering in her ear, "She might acts tough but she is a softie from the inside", She winked to her, Gamroa giggled at this fact she learned.

Far behind them and every guardian, Rocket was stress walking, his light back bag with only few of his clothings felt like it had blocks in it and was crushing his back, hugging himself trying his best to calm down, but how could he, his abuser is coming after him to kill him and hurt many other innocent people, he was this crazy, not caring who he would've hurt as long it gets him what he wants.

They won't be able to stop him, if Thanos couldn't, who could?

He will come here and kill me in front of them all, he took a look at his family in front of him, Mantis was giving huggs to anyone she could, Darx can barely walk straight with all the things he was carrying and blocking his vision let alone his bags on his back, Groot had got back to his game with Peters old backbag he had when he was a kid, he had passed it on to Groot

Peter was carrying both of his bags and Gamoras, he had seen him and Gamora argue about something at the benatar, Gamora was trying to get her bags from his hands but he was just pulling them away from her.

Gamora still talking to one of the dora milaji,
Nebula was dead silent walking.

Ever since Nebual helped them to fight Ego and his perspective of her had changed, now her comfort him back then in the palace made him like her even more and appropriate her company, although she looks very uncomfortable being here.

He glared at the floor still walking very shaky,
They would've been better off without me, he didn't know where that came from, this singler thought made him sick, I ruin everything I touch.

he gazed at them once more, I'll ruin their happiness and these kind people hust for existing.

Bunch of giggling from behind him snapped him from his dark deep thoughts, he knew his mind is special, it's what causing all of this trouble, but they don't know how dark and hard to carry, he hated being alone with his thoughts.

He looked behind him to see a group of kids had formed behind him, he stopped to fully turn around to them.

They were 5 kids not looking older than six or seven, they were around his height.

He waved for them trying to force a smile for the little ones, they all waved back for him still giggling not stopping looking at him.

one of the kids approached him closer, she was a little girl with beaded jumbo twists for pigtails hairstyle, and a yellowish dress with patterns on it, she seemed to be the youngest out of them.

She was a toddler with another kid holding her hand, he was older than her, he let go of her as she let out her hands up for Rocket, he took few steps back.

the girl would've fell head first if Rocket didn't act fast stepping forward, stopping her from falling and hurting herself, he put her back on her feet, letting her go but she had her hand on his nose as she let out adorable baby giggles.

She kept patting his nose, for her age she was strong with each hit, making Rocket close his eyes with each one, he seemed unbothered by it at all since it wasn't that hard, he had a smile on his face actually, she just reminded him of Groot when he was a baby.

Rocket felt a squeeze on his tail, he flinched immediately looking back, teeths out only to see two kids standing behind him watching as his tail moving left to right, they where laughing with each move his tail made.

Rocket looked around him as the other mini humans got around him, "puppy" one of them said petting him on the head.

"Hey kids leave him alone", one of the adults said, grabbing the little girl by her arm pulling her away from him, she cried throwing her head to the back in protest.

"sorry about that" The other kids parants grabbed them too, same deal, they cried, "PUPPYYY!!" they all cried kicking their feet, trying to get loose from their parant grip but no use.

Peter had noticed the fuss Rocket and the little kids had caused, hell everyone probably noticed.

"Wow you really caused the quite of a problem", Peter joked getting closer to him, "come on", he had his hand behind his head getting him to walk away from the scene.

Rocket stayed silent the whole time, not a word, "you okay buddy?" Peter being concerned for his friend who's been to quite than the usual.

"Yeah...yeah I'm fine" he lied right in his friend's face, seeing these kids adore him that way not seeing him as a threat made him feel a bit happy, only for that little happiness to get swiped away with the wind, as he thought about how they could get hurt when The High Evolutionary comes to get him, he sure as hell didn't care if your are a child or not, Rocket learned that the hard way.

They had left the crowded neighborhood to a quiteter part of the city, they walked to a big house isolated from every other house.

"We're here" Ayo stopped in front of thr house, "This is where you will be staying in the time being", she turned around to see the guardians admiring the house, Peter had his mouth open, scratch that, they all were.

"I am groot" <we gonna be staying here!!>, the teenager looked up from his game in shock.

Ayo had confusion in here face, of course she wouldn't understand him.

Aneka opend the door, as they all got in, this has to be the biggest house they has ever been in, the guardians had only lived on ships on and off or some really bad rental rooms they booked for when they had to stay in a place for to long for a mission.

They where meet with a hallway and two doors on each side of it, before they entered the small lobby, the living room was in front of them with a round entrance doorway, same goes to the room on their left.

The living room had corner sofas and chairs enough to fit them all facing a TV, with a glass table, and a small pool table next of the seating place for them to enjoy sometime.

The left side of the lobby a room that is split in two halves with a wooden room divider, diving it to the kitchen and the dining room.

The kitchen had everything you'd find in one: double doored refrigerator, stove, sink, and a counter with three chairs.

The kitchen's concrete was black making it stand out in the caramel colored house with mostly white and dark brown furniture, the kitchen also had an entrance to the living room, connecting the two rooms together.

On the right in the corner of the lobby was round stairs leading to the second floor, with and another door next of the stairs.

"There are 4 bedrooms with two bathrooms upstairs", Ayo stepped in the middle of the living room pointing up, "another room and a bathroom you walked pass", pointing to the entrance mystery two doors by the hallway, they all turned around to look at.

"and a storage room with a washing machine and such", pointing behind her with out turning to the door next to the stairs, making them look at where she is pointing yet again.

"we gonna leave you to get some rest, before the council meeting tomorrow", she continued looking at Aneka ready to leave them.

"I'm sorry", Peter was confused, "what meeting?", no one mentioned such a thing to them.

"You will be before the king and the tribes elders, to state what are your intentions in wakanda are", Ayo was dead serious, she didn't trust any of these people, she didn't know why the king gave them this house to stay in instead of kicking them outside of the kingdom.

She knows what happens when you let the wrong people in, they bring their problems along with them.

Aneka seemed to big the difference, she was welcoming the guardians and the avengers, as long as the king doesn't feel threatened by them, no need to poke her spear in their hearts.

"At what time this meeting" Drax asked, he had put down all the stuff he was carrying by the door.

"Around 1pm, me and Aneka will come and get you", she answered his question looking st Aneka who had her hands behind her back noded at hearing her name.

"Can it be earlier?" Rocket didn't mean to snap like that and sound like he is yelling.

"there will be a ceremony to pay respect to the wakandan warriors with lost in today's battle", Ayo sounded almost like she is trying to blame the guardians for it, but she couldn't, she was hurting with no one to blame other than a dead purple alien who never showed up to his battle.

"We will appreciate if you stayed in the house through it all"

The guardians noded, they understood its not their place to interpret such a thing, and the families deserve to graive their loved ones without strangers being there.

Even with all the gifts they have been given, strangers is how the guardians saw themselves in wakanda.

"For how long are we staying here?" Asked Gamora Aneka, who she became the quite friend with.

"This is the kind of questions only the king will answer"

"So we are prisoners here?" Nebula boomed at Aneka and Ayo.

"We do not give our prisoners such a luxury of house to stay in" Ayo sassed back at her.

Nebula just scoffed her and started heading to the room behind them, she entered it and slammed the door behind her, already distancing herself from the rest of the guardians.

Yes the guardians didn't feel belonged in wakanda but they had each other, Nebula on the other hand... she felt all alone.

"I'm sorry about her" Gamora apologies on Nebulas little tantrum.

She knows they better be at their best behavior or the kind won't proved Rocket with the protection he needs.

"You are not prisoners", Aneka resured her, "its just you might have brought another war to our doorsteps, and we are not about to let you just go leave us alone to deal with it"

Rocket was feeling a lot of shame, The High Evolutionary is coming for him not them, why should they pay for this, even after the kind had told him, he will be protected, he can't help it but feel tons of guilt.

"We wouldn't do such a thing", Gamora had her hand on her heart, "I give you my word".

Aneka noded to her, Gamora has a habit to honer her word, not going against it, an oath not to be broken.

"Like I said we will give you time to rest and we will come tomorrow to get you to the meeting", Ayo said going through her pocket, she got out a singler kimoyo bead, she handed over to Gamora, "If you need anything just hold pressing on the bead till it glows blue and slide it to the middle of your palm"

Gamora looked at the bead fidgeting it with her fingers, she looked up to her and noded in understanding.

Ayo smacked her vibranium spear to the ground twice, he and Aneka both walked pass her and the other Guardians, leaving the house to give the family their own time to adjust to their new staying place.

"Well..." Peter took a deep breath, "let's settle in and hope for the best"

"Do you trust them", he sked Gamora who was starting at the kimoyo bead.

"I don't know", she wanted to is just she never had anyone treating them or her this nicely simply just because they are nice and its the right thing to do, there is always a catch, they just have to know what it is.

"And you Rocket?" Peter looked down at Rocket.

Rocket was with them physically but he was lost in his own thoughts, And when I have you, you will pay for everything you've done to me. I will put you through everything before killing you.

The High Evolutionary's words rang in his mind, he was extremely terrified of what he had ment by that, his mind played some horrible scenarios to what he might do to him, and they made him want to throw up.

Peter snapped in front of Rocket, pulling Jim back to be with them mentally too, "you with us buddy?" Peter was concerned for him more than ever.

"Yeah yeah", Rocket cleared his throat, "what?"

"We were wondering if you trust these people" Drax help him to be on the same page as them.

"Yeah sure, they are...trusted, I say we can trust them", Rocket was spreading his hand to them, "they uhh...the king...T'Challa he seems a man of honor, i respecet him", he crossed his arms, trying his best to stay composed, when he never had stuttered on his words like that with them.

"Okay then", Peter relaxed at his answer having his hands on his waist, he looked back down at Rocket, with an 'are you sure?' Look on his face.

Rocket closed his eyes noding slowly, Peter returned the gesture.

"Alright let's just all get rest up it's been a long day for us all", Peter sigh in exhaustion.

They all grab their bags and headed upstairs, to get each one of them settled in their new room.

Drax, Mantis and Nebula got their own rooms alone for themselves, while Gamora and Peter shared a room together, same goes for Rocket and Groot.

Each one of them got cleaned up after a long day of fighting either alien creatures or other heros from another planet.

Peter might've not liked being back on Earth, but he sure had missed some of the luxurious houses he'd seen. This was by far the best he'd ever been in.

Gamroa and Peter changed into their pajamas, almost in utter silence.

Peter went through his bag and pulled out something shiny and sharp, Gamora was brushing her hair when she saw what Peter was holding in the mirror reflection.

She put down the brush, turning around to face him, as he waddled to her with her sword in his hands.

She took a deep breath then closing her eyes, remembering the scene of when she had lost it, she opened her eyes to see Peter standing right in front of her.

"I believe this belongs to you", he said handing her sword over to her to grab.

She bit her bottom lip, holding back some tears, she found the strength to take it from him, only to put it down instantly on the dressing table near the brush.

She kept her eyes down not looking up at him the whole time.

Peter held her chin up gently and as slow as he could, Gamora finally locked eyes with him, he looked at her with eyes only full of love and carring to her.

Gamora couldn't hold back anymore, teats storming from her eyes, Peter pulled her into his arms, letting her cry in his chest as much as she wanted, hell he knew she needed this more then anything anytime.

"Shhhshhh", Peter comforted his love rubbing her back, he had never seen her break like that, she had opened up to him before and allowed herself to cry with him yet still holding back.

This time she just let it all out, Gamora was the first to pull away from the hug as she studded her breathing and calmed down a bit, she started wiping away her tears, whe she felt Peter wiping them away for her with a soft tissue.

She didn't even notice him going to grab a box of tissues from how much her vision was blurry.

"You're okay?", his voice was concern with love.

"Yeah", she responded sniffing really hard, "thank you".

"You know you don't have to thank me for this", he held her hand, with a comforting smile on his face.

"Just thank you for everything"

Before Peter and the guardians, the only idea of love she had was what Thanos gave her, she had to learn to be loved, you have to tolerate all the bad shit it comes with it, from physical to mental abuse, if you need something you have to earn it, tough love is all she knew.

he tried to hold on to her real parants love and how they treated her, but it was all in vain, she couldn't remember anything about them other than the day she was taken away from them.

For long she even questioned if she deserved the guardians love, Peter's love, and if it was real or not, but the things they did to her without her having to give them in return, made her feel she deserves this love more and more.

She let her lips meet his, the kiss was long and warm, when she pulled back, she rested her head to his, holding each, foreheads touching while the world around them just went away.

Gamora rested on his shoulder, Peter rubbed his arm around her, and the both of them head to the bed.

They pulled the covers of the bed, as they laid down ready to go to sleep.

Peter shifted his seating, he was lying on his side, propped up on his elbow, hand supporting his head, facing Gamora as his other hand held her stopping her from pulling in the covers yet.

Gamora looked at him with a corner smile just to end up afterwards in the same position he is facing him, he hand let got of her's, to start playing with her hair.

"You know, i love you more than anything too?", Peter teased her in a soft joking voice trying to make a light out of the situation, when he doesn't try that, his only problem is he mostly falls horribly.

He was referring to what she'd told him earlier when Thanos was still alive.

"I love you more than anything" Gamora had told him as she prepared for his blaster to go off, tears streaming down her face.

In that moment she only cared about Peter being safe so her other family members, she couldn't care less if she died if it ment they will be safe.

"I love you too." Peter had replied as he swallowed and got ready to pull the trigger.

But now they were safe-well not for long.

They knew that they had a new megalomaniac coming to try to kill them, but it was a break. They didn't have to worry about Thanos, who'd planned on wiping out half of all life now, but they had a new guy who could very well try to wipe out all life on this planet and any he wishes to.

"Really?" Gamora had rolled her eyes with a smile wide enough to light up the room, she laid down beside him, "Even more than music?", she had a wild smile so bright.

Peter smiled, "Even more than music", he conformed, putting an end to her suspicion, "I just..don't think I could live without you", he cuped her face with his hand, "when I thought I had lost you I..." he took a deep break and ket out a big sigh "you mean everything to me".

Gamora's smile dropped, closing her eyes, " Peter, if I ever die, which I won't-" She paused and thought about how she may not have to worry about as many near death experiences now that Thanos is gone. "I would want you to move on."

Peter shook his head, "I'd never be able to move on without you, Gamora. That day I met you was the best day of my life. That day that I met all of you was the best day of my life."

He sat up and pulled the covers over him and Gamora.

"And now, we don't have to worry about your dad anymore, or my dad for that matter!"

"But we have to worry about Rocket's parental figure now." Gamora exhaled.

We all have stories that are hard to tell, but why won't he tell us his was this bad?

She never forced it on him. But when she'd talk about her time with Thanos, or when Peter would talk about Ego, Rocket always acted like he understood.

What would that man do to Rocket? What has he done to Rocket?

"And he's gonna try and kill Rocket. We have to protect him." Gamora looked at the ceiling. She could see Peter out of her peripheral view looking at her.

Nobody is hurting my brother, Peter thought to himself as he watched the Zehoberian beside him.

The thought of one of his family members getting hurt made him sick, he wasn't about to lost another dear person to his heart.

"But we're not gonna let him do that." Peter assured Gamora, "And Rocket will be fine. We all will. And we'll go back up into space in no time and be back on all our insane things, doing something bad and good, you know, little of both", he had a smirk on his face knowing she understood what he meant

Gamora nodded, "Yeah...And maybe we won't have to worry about anymore crazy people like Thanos or The High Evolutionary anymore."

"Or Ego or Ronin. Let's just be real, crazy people must be attracted to all of us because they adore us for some reason." Peter joked, smiling.

Gamora did a small chuckle and then said, "Goodnight, Peter." As she turned off the lamp beside her.

Peter watched as she turned it off, he then replied with,"I love you."

She smiled, "I love you too.", they both closed their eyes facing each other, and went to sleep.

hey guys here is a better look at the guardians house if the writing didn't help with imaging it right 😅✨️

Chapter Text

Everything was bright. All that Rocket could see was white, in a void all alone with familiar voices around him echoing.

He ran and ran but with no end to this place, the more he ran, the louder the voices got.

Rocket continued running trying to escape the voices only to make them get louder, to the point it could literally make him feel like his ears are bleeding.

"HELP US!!" 

"ROCKET PLEASE!!!"

"YOU DID THIS!"

"HE IS HERE FOR YOU, NOT US!"

"SOMEBODY HELP ME!"

"ITS YOUR FAULT!!!"

"ITS BECAUSE OF YOU HE IS HERE!!"

They are so loud he could make out the voices of most of them, it was Peter then its Gamora no it's Thor or maybe Drax, it's all of them at the same time.

"WHERE ARE YOU??", Rocket yelled at the top of his lungs stopping running seeing there is no point of doing that anymore.

Even after he had stopped the voices got more aggressive, they are in pain and begging for some help, they are blaming him for something he doesn't understand, or does, he felt like his head is about to explode.

He covered his ears and screamed in agony, "please stop", he begged crying, he collapsed on the floor on his knees his head between his legs, in a shaky voice he whispered inder his breath, "I'm sorry".

With that the voices had gone quite, they have been cut of off completely truly leaving him alone.

He removed his paws from his ears slowly, letting his head up still on the floor as his tears are leaking on the floor, he looked around him, there is nothing, just white void goes on and on forever, the worst part is,

he is all alone in this hell.

Rocket composed himself, when a sharp feeling of pain like nothing he felt before had whipped him out of nowhere.

The pain was so insane, he kept yelling begging for it to be stopped, he felt as if his whole body was on fire with also being cut open.

The white void started to melt down and being covered in red, the color of blood startd leaking in, flooding the floor, the once white hell void started to look like real hell with the red and the unimaginable pain he was feeling.

He cried and screame, the pain from what felt like something is cutting into his "bones" woke him up.

He was shaking, sweating like he was swimming, heart pounding so hard he felt every beat and drop of blood in his veins.

His sudden jump from this nightmare rolled him over off his hammock, falling straight on his back on the hard floor, causing a thud.

Rocket had insisted that Groot slept on the bed. It was a king size, and Groot said that Rocket could lay by him. Rocket, of course wanted a hammock just like in his room in the ship. So, he'd requested a hammock and King T'Challa kindly had him a hammock put by the bed.

Groot was an extremely heavy sleeper, such a hard sleeper that sometimes his family worried about him. He didn't hear anything when Rocket's body hit the floor, but Peter did.

Peter had heard the thud from his room as he was awake starring at the ceiling, without a second thought he immediately got up to see what was that.

Peter knocked on the door and opened it up. Peters hearing was incredibly advanced because of his ear implants to understand all of the languages. Hence why he could tell that the sound had came from Groot and Rockets room.

Peter walked over to see Rocket laying face down on the ground and breathing heavily.

"Rocket, you in there?", Peter nudged his raccoon friend on the shoulder as he whispered. Is he okay?

Rocket sat up and started breathing even heavier, his hands on his chest. "Hey it's okay," Peter put his hand on RRocket's ack and sat him up, "You're okay. We're here, we're safe. You're fine."

Peter had only ever seen Rocket like this one other time: a year ago ago. It'd been three years since Groot Sr. had died. Rocket had been depressed that day. But even then, he curled up with Peter that night, but he didn't cry. Or hyperventilate. Obviously, Peter was shocked to see Rocket like this.

Rocket coughed, still trying to be quiet because he was able to realize that Groot was asleep and that it was all a dream. "Quill..?" Rocket coughed out, quietly.

The look on Peters face was sympathy mixed with shock, "Yeah. I'm here, Rocket. Do you need something to drink?"

Rocket nodded his head and stood up, the fact that one of his teammates had to see him like this humiliated him.

What in the actual flark was that?, Rocket still can't able to process the horrible nightmare he just had, it was like nothing he had before that's for sure.

Peter and Rocket had went downstairs over to the dining room in their new establishment.

The house was to nice for them looking at their history of places they stayed in, they couldn't imagine what the big leagues/elders lived in. T'Challa was a really good king for making sure that all of his people were stable.

Rockets shaking hands picked up the glass Peter handed him over, he drank it so fast he almost shocked on it. Peter just sat there across from him, watching. Peter wanted to say something so badly, but he decided not to, its like he doesn't even know what to say.

"Sorry if I woke you, moron." Rocket tried to playfully start a conversation.

"I was already awake." Peter responded. He stood up to get himself his own midnight snack, "I like eating at nighttime."

"What time is it?" Asked Rocket, trying to focus on anything other than the nightmare he just had.

"Almost 5am." Peter opened a cabinet and pulled out some fruit gummy snacks. He smiled to himself. His smile dropped when he asked, "Why are you up?"

"Stupid dream." Rocket shrugged his shoulders, "Y'know. About that maniac...", Rocket took a second to recall it, he still could hear fragments of the voices, "or at least that's what it seemed like".

Or maybe all of you dying because of me.

"You could've told us." Peter ate one of his fruit snacks, then continued, "You all helped me with losing my mom. We helped Drax with losing Camaria and Ovette. You could've told at least one of us."

"I never wanted anyone to know." Rocket said, truthfully. "I knew they'd see me different."

"I see you the same." Peter sat back down,"I just see you stronger. That's all."

Rocket noded and looked down, "None of it would've happened if i'd just...been born like you. Any of you for that matter. If I could've been as anything else. If I was one of you-"

"You are one of us, Rocket." Peter stopped Rocket as he was talking.

"We're all the same. We all have our differences and are unique. But, it's just different shells, we're all people."

"But I'm not a person.", Rocket said, sadness in his voice, "And that's why he did what he did to me."

"You are a person. No raccoon can speak, walk on two legs, or is a genius."

Peter comforted Rocket.

"That's all a product of him." Rocket started to shake his head. He'd never really talked about this stuff out loud before. He'd never imagined saying he wished he was like Quill, Drax, or any person. But after all this time, it had gotten to him.

"So? You worked with what you'd been given and made yourself a life. What matters is who you we are now, not where we came from.", Peter had finished his snack and had stood up now.

"Who taught you to say all that inspirational stuff?" Rocket smiled and looked up at Peter.

"My grandpa, Maybe I should visit him if i get the chance here, IF he is still alive Y'know, and after all of this is over." Peter continued, " But i think for now we should get back to bed. I'm sure the Avengers will have a jam packed day for us"

"Yeah okay...", Rocket nodded and stood up, "I got a favor though."

"Sure. What is it?", Peter asked.

"Can you not bring this up to anyone?"

"Yeah, man. Just tell me if you need anything, okay?" Peter smiled and began to walk back to his room.

Rocket followed him. When he got to his room, instead of laying back down on his hammock, he layed down by Groot.

I'm safe for now. I'm here. He can't hurt me.

Gamora yawned as she opened her eyes.

It'd been a long day yesterday. She had at least been up for 28 hours. Well actually, it was a lot longer than that. She hadn't slept since Thor had warned them that Thanos was coming. That had to have been at least 2 days ago.

It seemed everyone else was already up. Maybe not everyone, but there was ruckus downstairs.

I need to go check and see what those noises are, Gamora thought as she got up and got out of her pajamas and into her day clothes.

Even after a good might sleep, she still couldn't help herself but overthink everything.

I wonder if we'll hear more from The High Evolutionary before he comes and trys to come and kill us. Or if we'll hear more from Rockets new Avenger friends, i'm sure they're not happy with us. We brought another killer into their kingdom, we almost brought Thanos in here. If Thanos would've won,would it have been my fault?

She made her way past Mantis' room to go to the bathroom.

When she entered the bathroom, she just looked around and took in everything. The walls were brown and shiny like the rest of the house. In the open cabinets, there were everything you could imagine in a bathroom. 5 Toothbrushes, a hairdryer, hair supplies, feminine products, etc. She'd never gotten the luxury of all this when she was in the hands of Thanos, Even in the Benatar, they didn't have all of this stuff.

She brushed her teeth and her hair and then made her way out of the bathroom and down the stairs.

She saw Groot downstairs on the couch, beside Mantis. Mantis was zoned out to the television. She'd obviously never seen a Terran TV. Gamora herself hadn't seen a 21st century TV, but she had her suspicions on what it was.

"How'd you get it on?" Gamora asked, standing at the doorway of the living room.

Mantis didn't respond. She was completely intrigued in what seemed like a show that was a bunch of random funny videos all merged together.

Gamora figured that the video on right now was of a cat, by the way that the creature was making 'meow' noises that Peter once did to try and explain earthlings animals.

Groot, on the other hand, was playing his game.

"Groot, do you always have to be on that?", Gamora put her hands on hips, she walked by him and Groot didn't respond.

She just raised her head shaking and made her way into the kitchen and saw Nebula sitting at the dining room table alone, eating cereal. table alone,eating cereal. Gamora smiled at her.

It was still hard to wrap her head around the fact that her and Nebulas 'father' was truly gone. That they were truly safe. She hoped that and prayed that Nebula wouldn't have to go through any more pain.

Gamora had so much guilt thinking that what happened to Nebula was because of her, she'd never forgive herself. Even if she was just trying to survive too.

Gamora looked over and saw Peter and Drax.

It seemed they had been rummaging through the kitchen and found theirselves some omelettes. Gamora didn't even know if they had looked at the instructions on the back or not. But their 2 omelettes was obviously burnt. Like charred.

"What did you guys do?", Gamora sighed and walked over to see their black omelettes on the scolding hot pan.

"We put them in the oven." Drax replied, bluntly with his arms crossed.

Gamora added to that, "For how long?"

"Like 50 minutes", Peter began, "Just like we do for our other food. But that was on a different planet, and I guess that's a drastic change for time or something."

Gamora shook her head. She looked over and saw the box that the omelettes had been in. She picked it up to see two languages, she assumed one was Xhosa and the other was English.

"It says 25 minutes." She didn't even say anything else. She just sat the box down and went and sat by Nebula.

Nebula looked up from her bowl and at her sister, "Hey." Gamora looked at her bowl, "I see you did better than the guys, to get something to eat."

Nebula looked at Peter and Drax, who were still standing over their burnt omelettes. It seemed like they were just waiting for Gamora to come and fix it or something.

Nebula looked back at Gamora, "I didn't even sleep."

"Why not?", Gamora questioned in response, "I think it's all perfectly safe right now."

"It won't be when that maniac comes", Nebula answered, "When he comes we won't be safe anymore."

Gamora nodded and looked over back at Peter and Drax, "Hey guys, have you seen Rocket?, she asked them.

"Not since last night", Peter was making his way to the pantry and pulled out what seemed to be trail mix, "unlike him not to be awake."

"Uhm we have the Thanos killer coming after him and no body thought to check on him this morning?" Gamora stood up furious at them, to make her way out of the kitchen and upstairs.

"I am Groot!" <He was in the bed with me when I woke up!> Groot called to Gamora, hoping she called hear him.

Gamora went upstairs and into Rocket and Groot's room.

There she saw Rocket sitting on the bed, looking at one of Peters old 'magazines'.

Peter had collected all of these books. Magazines with items that probably hadn't been sold since the early 2000s, comic books of characters like Conan and Shazam, 'How To' guides, travel guides, all sorts of stuff.

It seemed Rocket had gotten his hands on one of the 2000s for sell magazines. He seemed to be on a page full of weapons. That made sense.

"Jeez! Gamora!", Rocket turned over and shouted, "You scared the flark out of me!"

"Sorry, sorry!", Gamora raised her eyebrows and began to leave.

"Wait, what're you doing...?", Rocket threw the magazine across the room and hopped off the bed.

Rocket didn't often change into pajamas. He typically just wore the same clothes every night. But shockingly, he was in one of his only 3 pairs of pajamas he bought, or stoled? He always said he bought them, is just hard to believe him sometimes since he laughs each time he says, "I bought them". 

"Just checking on you.", Gamora looked back at him, "Wanted to make sure you were fine. We're all downstairs."

"Oh," Rocket nodded and walked over by, "well I'll come down I guess."

Gamora and Rocket walked down the hall.

"Did your hammock work out nicely for you?", Gamora asked as they walked down the stairs.

Rocket shrugged his shoulders, "I didn't fall asleep quickly, what time is it now?"

"It's about 11 AM Terran time." Gamora replied," Still getting used to all the time stuff. On the ship we just day mode and night mode." 

"Yeah.", Rocket nodded once more as they both finished walking down the stairs, "It's an adjustment." He walked off.

Gamora knew how it felt. To be chased by a psychopathic father figure. To have him after you and want you dead. She barely avoided death yesterday.

"Hey, Rocket!", Mantis exclaimed. She was shocked that it caught Rocket off guard. She knew that he was on edge, but she'd still never seen him that way.

"Hey" Rocket continued to walk past her and into the kitchen. He there saw Drax and Peter making what seemed to be a microwaveable soup. Peter was calling out instructions and Drax was making it.

Rocket laughed as he jumped up on the table by Drax and Peter, "That's destined to fail."

"You don't know that!", Drax retorted, "This will be a perfectly good soup."

"Well what was that burning smell?", Rocket asked both Peter and Drax. He got no response.

"You two should ask an adult for help."

"Ha-ha very funny of you", Peter faked luaghed at his joke, "we've got it, thanks for your help." Peter assured him, except it made Rocket chuckles and tries to hide his laugher.

"you can laugh as much as you want, just wait. When we make it, we'll have enough for everyone."

Shocking Rocket and Gamora, Peter was right. Peter and Drax had made an overwhelming amount of a few cans of soup they'd found in the pantry.

As Peter was pouring down the soup for Rocket he had the 'I told you so' Look all over his face, Rocket just rolled his eyes smiling.

They all gathered around the television and Peter took Groots video game. They all eventually zoned out. They had tvs in space, but none like this.

The sound of dancing and chanting from outside not so far to not be heard from the house, it had definitely sparked the curiosity of the teenager for him to ask if he could go out and watch what's happening.

The rest knew it must be the ceremony that Ayo has mentioned to them, they understood how this is just family kind of events and how this could be sometimes the most meaningful tribute. 

Rocket gently explained to him that they weren't invited and how it would be better if they gave the families some privacy and time to graive, and funerals don't always bring people together, since the only funeral he attended was Yandu's.

"I am Groot", <can't we at least pay our condolences?>, Groot wasn't hiding in his voice the sadness and probably some guilt for not being there for people in hard times.

"Yes we can, just in another time buddy", Rocket comforted the conscience of his adopted son, making sure he won't be feeling like the blood of the ones they lost in the battle was on any of their hands, especially not his.

Groot felt better and got a better understand to their situation, he smiled to his dad going back to watch animal videos on whatever channel Mantis was watching.

Rocket never saw his similarities to a raccoon, when a raccoon video began to play. It seemed like the raccoon was putting it's cotton candy in the water over and over.

"LOOK ROCKET!!" Peter exclaimed, jumping out of his seat and pointing at the tv, "ITS YOU!"

"That's not me." Rocket replied bluntly," Why's it doing that? I'd never do that."

Rocket did not seem amused.

Peter frowned and sat back down.

Gamora just chuckled at the two as she felt later on something vibrating in her pocket and beaming a light, she could see through the fabric.

She pulled out the kimoyo bead Ayo gave her, it was flashing in blue light, "answer it", Peter suggested, putting down his plate.

Gamora pressed the bead to answer the call like how Ayo told her to do so to activate the bead.

A hologram got formed from black sand to the upper body of the dora appeared.

"Greatings guardians"

The other Guardians attention shifted from the TV to the bead in Gamoras palm beaming a clear hologram of Ayo.

"Expect me and Aneka to come and get you back to the palace for the meeting, in an hour", Ayo continued.

"Yeah of course", Gamora noded to her, Ayo noded back at her before closing the call.

Peter looked at the time on the clock hanged on the wall by the TV, is it 12 or 2?, Peter wasn't able to read the clock time properly.

He had spent his life in space away from the clock hands, why bother learning how to read them.

"It's 12:15 pm", Gamora had said while Peter was squinting his eyes at the clock thinking it will help him to read it. 

Peter sigh in defeat only to see Gamora still holding her bead as a small blue holographic screen in front of her, the screen had the time in digital on it.

She gave him a little pump shoulder to shoulder with a smile on her face, He had no idea how she was able to activate it, and he sure wasn't hiding his impressive look, she closed her palm fading away the blue light from the bead and putting it back in her pocket.

"I guess we have to dress up nicely for this meeting", Peter looked at the other Guardians as most of them still in pajamas, "really guys, we have to look nice if we want them to let us stay and help us out here", Peter gave them an upside down smile with a nod.

They all got up, and headed back to their rooms to get ready for the meeting.

The door bill rang followed with loud knock at the door.

"I am Groot" <I got it!>, Groot yelled from upstairs speeding to the doors, he jumped the last few stairs.

"Careful", Drax scolded him from the dining room, shaking his head, saw him as he was skipping the stairs steps.

Groot ignored him and got to the doors, he opened only one of them, as the two Doras he and his family met last night to get them to their new place, they were standing with their spears in hand and a third person had joined them.

A young woman, with braided hair going into two buns, just like he met her yesterday, was in white her hands locked in together in front of her with a slight smile on her face.

"Hello Groot", the young one spoke, Peter came from behind Groot opening wilder.

Peter knew Ayo and Aneka but he didn't know who was the third one, "hi" Peter added awkwardly looking at Groot who seemed to know who was she, he cleared his throat tilting his head to her quickly, hoping for an answer out of him.

"I am Groot", <she is the princess, T'Challa's sister".

Peter's eyes widened, his mouth in the shape of O, he looked back at her while she was smiling even more now, she might not understand Groot's language, except for Peter's reaction to what he said kind of gave away the meaning.

"My name is Shuri", Shuri interdoced herself to Peter.

Gamora was the next to peak out of the door, "I'm here to accompany you back to the palace"

"Hello there", Gamora stepped outside, letting out her hand to shake the princess's, Ayo and Aneka looked at each other before getting their spears leaning towards Gamora, not fully pointing at her but enough for her to back away her hand, knowing Shuri is not any random person came to accompany them.

Gamora felt some kind of shame for such a foolish move, we are supposed to be on our best behavior, and her I am scrawing it up like this.

Shuri rolled her eyes, and went to shake Gamoras hand.

Gamora looked at the princess's hand before taking in and shaking it and simply letting go.

She understood Ayo and Aneka were only doing their job so she won't take it to personal and hold a grudge.

"Are you all ready?", Shuri asked 

"Yeah we are", Gamora noded going back inside.

"Guys come on we have to go", Shuri could hear Gamora calling out for them to get outside.

Each one of them stepped outside seeming a bit bothered for wearing what they had on.

It wasn't to fancy or anything, Drax was mainly upset for having to wear a shirt overall, Peter took a look at them all and realized their most elegant clothings are with a dark tone, and took a look back at Shuri and the doras who were in white.

Peter took a deep breath hoping this won't be a big of a deal, he claped his hands, "okay let's...go", he waved his hand to the way they came from last night, "you lead the way your royal highness".

They just blank stare at him, as Gamora slapped her face with her hand, Shuri was cracking up at the way he addressed her.

"Thank you", she responded to his modesty, "but you don't have to call me that", she chuckled taking off walking, "come on follow up"

The guardians started walking behind her and her two guards, Peter was still frozen in his spot, Nebula came up next to him arms crossed.

"Royal Highness?", she harrassed him.

He just shrugs his shoulders, lips tighten.

Nebula giggled at the silly man-child and followed the rest.

Ever since Thanos had died, Nebula had saw as if she lost purpose in life; She had spent her whole life doing Thanos's petty and controlled by him, her own body belonged to him as he choose which parts to take out and keep.

Gamora had the guardians, she trusted them, and loved them. Nebula on the other hand doesn't know them as well as her sister, they don't either, for as far as she concerned they don't own her loyalty after she tried to kill them before, she doesn't even know why they allowed her to sleep in the same place as them.

She wants to be different, she wants to make a change, atone for her mistakes, she's only afraid they won't forgive her.

They all made there way back to the palace safe, and the guardians had noticed how much quite the streets of wakanda had become with everyone wearing white too, they keep exchanging looks with one another.

Peter decided to ask Groot in the way inside how he had met Shuri after noticing how much they were talking to one another with Rocket translating for her in the way here.

"I am Groot", <before you came, dad had asked me to stay with Thor> the teenager explained to his second dad who was absent for the battle here.

"I am groot", <we went to the princess's lab to get the stone of vision and make sure she was alright after an attack>.

"It was that bad huh?", Peter has felt if he had been helping them with Thanos's army, maybe and just maybe there wouldn't be that much casualties.

"I Am Groot", <not as bad as you think or as bad as it could have been>.

Groot tried to resure Peter that the others not being here for the fight shouldn't make them feel any kind of guilt, and them being here wouldn't have made that big of a difference, if they are being honest to themselves.

"I am groot", <I ended up staying at her lab the whole time accompanying her till you guys showed up>.

Peter grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him to his side, Peter gave him a proud father smile as they all entered an elevator to head to the throne room where this meeting is being held.

The guardians didn't know much about the whole meeting and everything, they just knew they better be on their best behavior for the sake of Rocket.

Shuri had told them a bit about the other tibes leaders and how they have a huge part of rolling wakanda along T'Challa, they may or not agree on their stay like him, they knew if they wanted them out, T'Challa's words alone won't help them much, he'll might have to listen to their decisions for preventing the fall of wakanda or some kind of a civil war, again..., at least that's how they interpreted it.

Two doras that were waiting by the throne's room guarding it, turned around and opened the doors for them.

Shuri walked in first to the room and the guardians followed.

There were already people in the room, whom were sitting and others standing, Shuri had standed to T'Challa right who was sitting on his throne in the middle dressed in white, same goes for the other tribes representatives sitting on their council seats, waring white as well. Each one of them had three to two guards standing behind them with their own signature style but still also in white.

 a man had been talking standing in front of them in the orange clay squared ground they are in, he had their attention to what he was saying with a hologram shown next to him, before they had opened the doors and all eyes on them now.

Peter looked at Gamora like they both are thinking the same thing if they are being disrespectful for wearing darker colors, only for their attentions swift to the other people standing far away in the room bu the glass large windows.

Steve, Natasha and Bucky where standing with a red head woman in a red leather jacket that they had not seen before, she had he hands on her hips as she was swinging from her left to right like she has somewhere else to be, the guardians were stopped by Ayo before stepping up on the clay.

"So ahh yeah umm... the stone should be kept away in ah safe place", the man had started to stutter with his eyes on them, he seemed more on edge than anyone on the room.

"Thank you Dr Banner", T'Challa said to him with a nod.

"Of course", Bruce was about to go for a bow, only to stop himself from doing so and quickly stood up straight and cleared his throat, he walked backward anxiously and truned around to be faced by the guardians, he walked to his friends not breakingan eye contact with Peter.

And they say I'm on edge?, Peter thought to himself stearing at Steve as he rested his hand on Bruce's shoulder while he talked to the red head woman.

"The guardians of the galaxy", T'Challa's voice was sharp, the sound of a king if nothing else, and he was only addressing them, the dora milajis standing on an upper floor in the room had hittin their spears to the ground making a loud echo, as silnce filled the room.

"That'll be us", Peter said spreading his arms, with a smile and a chuckle in an attempt to look as friendly as possible.

He got judgmental looks from the elders, while Shuri actually looked down trying to hide her laughter.

Peter just put his hands down with an awkward lalaughter skipping his breath, Gamora nodged him from behind with her shoulder, he looked at her to see she was eye siding him like everyone else.

This is gonna be one of a hella of a meeting.

Chapter Text

Peter and Rocket had stepped up in front of all the tribes leaders and the king of wakanda, Rocket hated the way everyone was stearing at him, the way they whisper about him.

He didn't even hear the first few questions they had asked Peter, everything sounds blurry, his mind is still in that damn void, and the screaming voices are all he can hear.

"Is he even alive?", the sound of a rough mean followed with a chuckle got him to look behind to see a big man in white fur and leather raising an eyebrow at him.

"You little fella causing all of these troubles and you are not even bothered to listen", the man scoffed him.

"I am listening", Rocket barked back at him.

"Of course you are", The man didn't seem convinced, "then I guess you won't mind answering the king's question he just asked"

Rocket looked at T'Challa who seemed more angry at the Jabari tribe’s representative than at Rocket for not paying attention.

Rocket never felt so small like this before, even tho he is always the smallest one to step in any room he is in, he still felt big and strong for always having something to say now all of this pride had crashed down with his silnce

"I knew it", the man whispered right under his breath, T'Challa was able to hear him with his inhancled abilities, "M'Baku"

T'Challa shifted everyone's attention from Rocket to M'Baku, "What would you have us to do?"

eveyone was looling at M'Baku for an answer.

"I see we just give him the creature"

Loud shouting broke in the room as the other Guardians came in defens of Rocket, and M'Baku just argued back, T'Challa just took a deep breath looking at Rocket who still quite not sure if he should speak or not.

T'Challa looked Okoye to his left, she immediately stood up and shouted, "HEY", smacking the bottom of her spear on the ground, every dora milaji followed her move.

Everyone had gone quite, but their intense and burning looks are still just as loud.

"Touched a nerve there", M'Baku fixed his seated position shaking his head with wide eyes, breathing heavily.

"Did you hear a single thing I said about what the High Evolutionary will do if he gets Rocket?", Peter argued back.

"If your friend is this important", the Merchant Tribe elder spoke, who was truly looked the oldest in the room, "Why did this mad man let him out free?"

"Because he didn't", Rocket answered her, Peter almost couldn't recognize his polite and respectful voice, "I had escapde and now he wants me back, to get control over everything"

He looked back at M'Baku stronger than the time before, more confident, the king on my side, I know he is, my family is too why be scared?, he thought to himself.

"Rocket is smarter than all of us combined together", Peter help out Rocket, "no offense to anyone for sure"

"So what do you suggest to do?", the eldery women asked Peter.

"We protect Rocket and Wakanda"

"Why won't you just leave Wakanda?", the River Tribe questioned them.

"Because the high evolutionary is coming here", Rocket pointed down, "To wakanda, and if he doesn't find me...", he took a pause with his paw on his chest, "he will destroy this place and kill innocent people who don't deserve it just out of anger, hell he does it for fun sometimes"

The leaders started exchanging looks with one another, "our nation has vibranium and power like in no other placr, this man won't stand a chance", the woman next to T'Challa to his right, wearing white as will but her white beautifully patterned isicholo made her stood out, she spoke in a stronge voice.

"With do all respect, The High Evolutionary has three of the infinity stones, I'd like to think your vibranium will hold him off, but no amount of vibranium is gonna be enough against an infinity stone"

"If you think our vibranium can't hold him, why stay here and risk being taken?", the woman was more concerned on the part that their precious substance won't be in value against this man.

"We had brought this problem upon your great nation", Rocket felt even more guilty about this when he himself admitted it, "for that we are greatly sorry, I'll not run away, not anymore", Rocket looked up at Peter who was standing to his right only supporting him from the moment they stepped into the room.

"I'll help build defensive weapons to protect wakanda, I'll even build them on my own with my bare paws, if it ment to protect this place"

Everyone else was silent listening to his words.

"Mama", the young princess broke her long silence since she had entered the room.

Mama?, Rocket looked back and forth to, the queen, princess and king, it made sense to him now mare than ever.

"I do believe if our strong brains worked together along side our technology", she looked at Rocket, "we might stand a chance"

She nodded to Rocket who was in agreement with her.

"I'll even make sure he would never get hold me if it comes to it" his voice had gone quieter, more vulnerable with his last sentence.

"Don't say that", Peter didn't want to believe what his best friend saying is what he has in his mind.

"No Quill I mean it", Rocket took a deep breath, it's not like he didn't consider doing it before...

"The horrible thing The High Evolutionary will be able to do with my brain are unimaginable, I won't want them to ever happen", Rocket looked up at T'Challa.

"So if it comes to it...", his heart had become heavy, he doesn't want to say it, not here, not in front of his fanily, not in fron of Groot, but he doesn't say it now, he doesn't know when he will.

"I want you to put me down.".

The members of the council raised their eyebrows in shock, no one could have expected for him to say this, to be able to go this far to keep their nation safe even if he had only been in it for a day.

The guardians on the other hand, had broke in comforting yells to Rocket from behind him.

"don't say such nonsense" Drax called out.

"I am groot"”

"Rocket it won't come to this we promise", Gamora was holding Groot who had started tearing up.

Rocket was staring at the ground as he was hearing his family's concerns for him, his tail was still not moving relaxed down, his ears melted down as will.

Peter kneeled down to be on the same level as him, he took hold of both of Rocket’s shoulders and turned Rocket to face him.

"That's not gonna happen", he shocked Rocket with a soft one shock to get him to look at him, Rocket was dissociating away in the past day more than all of the years Peter had known him.

Rocket wouldn't have suggested that solution of he wasn't thinking about the safety of his family and all of these people.

When Rocket finally looked up he saw the sorrowful look on Peter's face, he looked over at his family who had been also broken by his words.

"If he gets me...", Rocket started, "he's not going to kill me right away, but instead put me through absolutely everything he’s already done to me, and I don't want to got through it again"

"It's not gonna happen, Rocket. I will do everything in my power to make sure that doesn't happen to you", Peter then stood back up, the raccoonoid couldn't look at anyone at this point, knowing all they will have is pity on their faces.

"Please. All we ask for is your help. He's one of our teammates. He's family." Peter asked the members of the council, looking at each of them in the face one by one.

"Glory to Hanuman", M'Baku said as the other three men behind him chanted after him, he stood up, looking down at Rocket like he is a tiny ant comparing to his height, "the Jabari Tribe..." he exclaimed with he hand to the other men standing behind to end up laying his hand on his chest, "will provide protection to you little fella"

Rocket looked up almost snapping his neck, "what?", he couldn't believe what M'Baku just said.

"You had proven to me the courageous heart you have, willing to die for other's safety is something I have always honored and admired"

M'Baku held his belt and crossed his hands, looking at the other representatives, "if the others won't be willing to help you, you will have a protected place up on the mountains"

"That is an honorable thing for you to say", Drax who was ready to attack M'Baku if he continued to harrass his friends, is now feeling like he and M'Baku might be having more in common than he expected, "we would appreciate all the help we would need".

T'Challa stood from his throne and made his way to Peter, " We'll try to protect your friend as we protect our people. But we cannot make any promises.", he let out his hand for Peter to take, and he did.

They shook hands, "The Merchant Tribe...", the eldery woman smacked her staff on the ground, "also stands with Rocket and his friends".

T'Challa looked behind him to nod to her, as Peter had copied him to show his appreciation too.

"The Mining Tribe stands with the Guardians of the Galaxy as will", a women with red clay braids smiled to Rocket who seemed more alive than any time he was in here with them,

"The River Tribe is willing to show its support for them too", the eldery man had spoke up too.

"Same goes for the Border Tribe, we will help to protect this great nation and it's allies"

T'Challa squeezed Peters shoulder with a closed smile on his face, resuring him all the support they need, they will get it; Peter held his arm in gratitude for everything he had done for them.

"Huh", M'Baku chuckled arching back with it, "This so called The High Evolutionary, won't stand a chance against us all united".

M'Baku smacked Peter's back in a friendly way that almost knocked him of his feet, his hand squeezed his other shoulder as he shock him back and forth, Peter didn't protest against it for that he is used for this kind of gentle yet tough hands, he is the friend of Drax the destroyer after all.

"Well that went well", Peter sigh in relive out of the throne room with his other found family members, "right?"

Rocket was stearing on the floor, recalling the meeting, every like he said and how he said it, and how he could have said it differently.

"I am groot", .

Rocket looked up at Gamora who couldn't look at him, What did she tell him?, he knew Gamora might have told him something.

He looked at Groot minutes after his suggestion and he was not tearing up anymore, Did she tell him I faked it, to get pity out of the council members; maybe he is just overthinking it? or not?...

"I am Groot", <I actually thought you meant it>.

Flark.

"I did mean it", Rocket wanted to drop the subject but he couldn't help it.

Once the meeting was over and he just started to feel safe, a wave from reality came over him, he wanted to believe the high evolutionary could be stopped with the help they have now...

But that damn dream, the dream that had been playing over and over in his head, the feeling of his body itching from the pain he felt in it.

"Gamora said it was an act", Drax jumped into the conversation.

"Well it wasn't", rage had started building up inside of him, "Even with all of their support, it might not be enough, and it might be the only choice"

"What about with ours too?", Steve said from behind him as he got closer to them with, Sam, Bucky and Natasha.

"Still won't be enough", Rocket said in disappointment.

"You seemed very confident and relived back in there, what changed?", Peter was the most confused out of them all.

Rocket thanked the elders for their support and now he seems unsure of it, he thought Rocket will be relived and feels more safe after that.

"I just...it's the hard truth, okay".

I can't tell them about my dream, I just can't.

"You are not being very uptomistic anymore", Gamora confronted him.

"At least I'm not lying on others words", he looked up at her eyes burning into them like cold fire.

Gamora opened her mouth in disbelief, while everyone else could feel the tension but nothing to say about it.

Groot took few steps back and just took off walking after hearing that, "GROOT!!", Mantis called out of him with her hand, except he didn't turn around and just continued walking.

She turned around to them to say, "I'll go and check on him", and followed Groot.

Shuri saw as Groot walking all moody and Mantis trying to catch up with him.

"Is everything alright?", she got to the group looking at them all waiting for an answer.

"It's all good princess", Rocket muttered in a low voice.

"This seems a wrong time", she could feel the tension in the hallway as well, "I'll come back another time"

"No no it's okay", Peter stopped her before turning around and leave, "what is that you wanted?", he asked her smiling.

"I kind of have a request", she looked down at the raccoon, "do you mind if me and Doctor Banner take a look at you"

"Uhhh why?", Rocket was confused to why would she request such a thing.

"So we are familiar with your body. In case there were anything to happen to him, so I can find a way to help him." Shuri explained, "Obviously my mother and brother won't let anything happen to you"

"That sounds like a good idea", Natasha showed her liking to Shuris idea, she looked at Rocket raising her eyebrows.

"Okay yeah sure", He said playing with the fur on his wrist.

Peter knows Rocket does this when he is nervous or not sure of something, "you don't have to give an answer right away, you could think about it"

"I have", Rocket barked back, "I'm not a kid I'm very much capable of making my own decisions"

"Okay okay", Peter held up his hands in surrender.

"It's just worst case scenario, if something does happen to you", Shuri might have heard his concerns not long ago.

"Yeah I'll go with you", he said.

"Cool", Shuri said gladly, "follow me", she turned around and started walking away.

Rocket started moving away from them, he looked at Gamora who still refuses to make eye contact with him.

"Hmph!?", He outed before turning back around following Shuri.

Rocket just followed Shuri to a ship waiting for them on the hanger, with Dr Banner already being there with other dora milaje guards.

He got into the ship thinking how much wakanda's technology is impressive compared to the world as whole, they had mentioned they are the only nation with vibranium, and being the most advanced nation in the world.

As the ship was flying over wakanda, he started to see why it is the best nation in this planet, and how lucky he is to be friends with the royals here.

He kept asking Shuri questions, to keep his mind away from the conflict he had with Gamora and that his son might be mad at him more than ever, he asked her if his conclusions and theories to how this place works with this technology were correct.

he was able to nail down almost all of them, making Shuri definitely the most shocked and impressed, he was able to figure out technology that took some years to understand, when he only needed a day.

She looked up at Bruce who was standing lookong down at the raccoon, he seemed just as impressed as her, to how such a small creature be this smart, even probably smarter than him. 

Rocket noticed the directions they were going, he expected Shuri to take him to her lap he was able to see up on a mountain looking down at the field where the battle took place, he also knew there where was that red robot with one of the infinity stones, until the lap got attacked.

"Where are we going?", Rocket asked Shuri, knowing she is probably on charge here.

"We are going to my lab", She was seating down and cheerful jump a little on her own seat to say that.

"I know that", he turned around looking outside of the windows, pointing to some mountains near the larg empty space, "I thought your lab is was over there"

Shuri knew where he was pointing at, "that was an alternative lab", looking down at him she explained, "we are going to my 'actual' lab".

Shuri pats on the seat next to her for him, Rocket had been standing the whole time they where in the meeting, in the halls of the palace and now on the ship.

He jumped into the seat next to her before his legs gives out on him, he wanted to sit down for so long just not finding the right time to do so. Bruce also took a seat,just not next to the other two.

Rocket looked outside of the windows to see a large statue, he jumped of his seat to the windows, he stood on his tip toes to get a better view of it, his jaw dropped to the view.

Bruce did the seem, he took of his glasses and cleared them to put them back on, How didn't I notice this the first time I came here, Bruce was shocked to himself for not seeing such a big thing so obvious and beautiful.

It was a huge panther up coming out of the mountain, with his mouth open and a hole right beneath him where he could just see the blue beaming light from it, "welcome to Mount Bashenga".

There was a a building, a triangle shaped structure of some kind on top of the mountain, they landed on the hanger.

The doors swing open, Shuri with her two dora milage guards were the first out, Bruce and Rocket just followed them.

Shuri started heading to an elevator, meanwhile Rocket walked straight to the edge, he carefully looked down into the huge blue inside of the mountain, he looked to his side to see some shuttles attached to the edge like some bug.

"Careful there", Shuri called for him from behind.

Rocket took one last look at the hole, who knows how far it goes down, before he rushed to them, to enter the elevator together.

The elevator closed with all five of them inside, it a glass elevator was going down, show casing a better view of the insides of the Mount Bashenga.

They got to certain floor where they walked a small hallway, the dora milajis stood facing one another in the middle of the hall.

Shuri led the raccoon and the doctor, to a round staircase going down to her lab, that seemed being under some restoration, some glass screens where broken and the bay windows seemed just got reinstalled with the equipment to do so still around.

"It wasn't always like this, trust me", she looked behind at Rocket, she started walking around on her own space, organizing stuff around hhere and there, getting things ready for whatever she had in her mind.

Bruce seemed also to know his way around when this is not his first time here; He had spent most of his last nights time and today's morning in here with vision, to help him remove his infinity stone and to recover after words.

"So, Where is the red dude with the stone?", Rocket wondered looking around him in Shuri's lab for a sight of Vision while admiring his own verion of heaven.

He had seen Steve in the battle field help Vision to get a ship similar to the one they where in, he knew they continued removing the stone of his head like Bucky had told him when he asked him where did they take him, he also saw the same woman in red leather jacket that was in the throne room going with them. 

"You mean Vision?', Bruce appeared behind some table filled with some unfinished projects, Bruce walked to Rocket, whom had been touching all sort of tech he could lay his little paws on.

the technology he had seen in wakanda were nothing comparing to the lab he came from, "yeah him I guess", he said having his eye looking into something.

"We removed the infinity stone off him and put it in a safe place", Bruce grabbed the thing Rocket was looking into with one eye, making him a bit angry at the man for taking away his new toy.

"He is in recovery, and soon he will be out of here…You’d be very animated by him"

"Why would I?", he reached back for the same abject Bruce had just taken away from him, and back to picking inside of it, "and the red woman with leave with him too right?"

Bruce sigh, "yeah she will", he answered his question.

flark, that witch lady was so powerful, she could have help us in all of this.

he had seen Wanda picks up the death machines that came literally out of the ground during their battle, they were big and hard to take down, when out of nowhere she showed up and carried then like they were nothing, and tossed them on the chitauri.

Him seeing her again in the throne room, even tho he knew nothing about her, not name not anything except she is very strong, he was confident enough with her and Thor they might stand a chance, only he didn't see Thor since last night.

"Where is Thor?", he asked Bruce looking up at him.

"I-"

"Okay guys it's ready", before he could answer him once again, he got interrupted by Shuri who came from the round room in the middle of the lab.

Rocket and Bruce headed to the small room she was waiting for them in;in the middle of the room,there was a table,

“You want me to get right there or somethin’?” Rocket looked from Bruce to Shuri, then to the table. He’d seemed to like exploring the lab and seeing the statue, but this? He was more cautious of.

“Yes, please.” Shuri smiled and then began to move around electronics she had. She had an IPad with one click on it thw walls around them, the walls of the room turned on into screens, Rocket had never seen anything like this.

Rocket tried to trust the Avengers and the people of Wakanda, but it took him 2 years to trust the Guardians. He wasn’t about to trust them easily. Despite his hesitation, he hopped onto the table.

“So where’s Thor?”, Thor was prolly the only avenger he truly could trust, Thor telling him his story of death and sadness, Rocket felt similar to what he was feeling; Not seeing him on the throne room made him quite nervous, that he might not be his friend like he thought after all.

Rocket let his legs dangle off of the edge of the table, waiting for an answer to a question he asked twice.

“He’s goin’ through some stuff", Bruce sat on a chair by Shuri, who was looking at her ipad and back to the large screens to prepare for scanning Rocket’s body.

“Y’know, Thanos killed his brother.”

“Yeah, he told me…” Rocket looked all around the room, ”he wanted to kill Thanos, right? ‘Cause I thought he’d kinda be happy knowin’ that guy was gone.”

“Yeah, but he wanted revenge. Thanos wiped out half of the remaining people of Asgard,which had gotten destroyed before Thanos found us”, Bruce explained, ”You see. I really thought that Thanos guy was gonna be the end of us. Can’t really believe he’s out of our hair.”

Rocket didn’t respond at first. He was thinking about Thor. Thor felt like his only true purpose in life was to avenge his brother—and his people’s killer. Now,that was taken away from him.

Thor's situation made him think of Nebula too, who has been tortured by Thanos for her whole life, and all she wanted was to seek revenge, he can't imagine what these twi are going through now.

Maybe I should check on them?

“Uh, you think that guy is on Thanos's level?” Bruce snapped Rocket out of his thoughts. Shuri was still focused on the screen and let Bruce continue, ”Like all of Wakanda against this guy?”

“Maybe.” Rocket knew it’d take all of Wakanda against his creator and who knows what he had been creating for the past something years

“And-is he trying to wipe out everyone too? I’m not trying to be like invasive I’d just like to know what me and maybe the Hulk will be dealing with.”

“I dunno. He just thinks that things should be the way he thinks. I haven’t seen him in years,I don’t really know how he feels.” Rocket didn’t 100% mean to come off as snappy, but he didn’t have a nice tone of voice with it.

“Okay.” Shuri stood up,she then walked over to Rocket and pointed at her bracelet, ”These are Kimono Beads. I can use them to scan you and get to know your body"

she clicked her bead to start flashing blue light he had seen Gamora's bead does that before, "I never had to scan an animal with it before, I had to add datas and the anatomy of normal animals you might be one of"

Rocket rose a brow, but appreciate she didn't just guess what animal he is, like everyone else does, he nodded to her, ”You need me to lay down for that or something, Princess?”

“It’d help.”

Rocket laid down and let Shuri wave her arm over him, a stronger light still not flashing came put beaming from the bracelet and went down Rocket’s body.

The projection appeared from the bracelet, Shuri closed her palm closing the projection, and throw he hand towards the screens on the walls, bunch of parts from Rocket's body appeared on them: one of his brain, one for his upper body, one for his bottom...; they were all different but had something in common.

The bones were visible, in white they were like you would expect, only there was blue going on between his them or even in them, even his whole skull was a mix of white and blue.

Rocket knew what the blue is and how it was just equal to the amount of the bones. It was the color of all the implants and metal was forcefully put into his body.

Rocket sat down by the edge of the table with his head down, his ears were down as well, he didn't want to see this, he didn't ask for any of this, why it had to be him?.

Bruce was putting notes to his iPad, Shuri was in disbelief to what she was looking at.

One of the screen started beaming a sound and flashing a red light, Shuri pulled the screen and zoomd out, she fliped he hand to see the screen had appeared on the kimoyo bead on her wrist.

On the projection, a red light flashed right near the raccoon’s heart. It was actually right on the raccoon’s heart.

“Is that a…?” Bruce looked away from the ipad and looked closer at the projection.

Rocket glared up at the two of them who had their focus on this one part of him, "that is what?"

"There is-", Bruce started.

"There is several implants in your body", Shuri said louder than Bruce cutting him off, "I'm sorry for what had happened to you", she looked at Bruce shaking her head 'No', "I can't imagine what you must have went through"

Rocket knew there was something they are hiding from the way Shuri closed the hologram after he asked the question, however he didn't pay much attention to it as much as he did to her empathy and concerns,  "thanks".

Shuri snatched the tablet from Bruces hand, then typed: 'I don’t know if he knows. We don’t need to scare him, but we have to tell his friends'

Bruce looked up and nodded to her.

Rocket jumped off the table, there were little screens on it as well, monitoring his heartbeat, they turned off after he left the table.

Shuri closed the tablet as well, "Rocket", she asked him as he was looking at the screens with the truth he was so hard tried to avoid, he clearly didn't hear her calling for him.

"When I'm gone", Rocket's voice was quite, "will my cybernetic implants last longer than the rest of me?", that thought made him look more hopeless than ever, he was in the verge of crying he knew that, but he kept it in.

He glared up at the two scientists waiting for an answer.

He looked back at the screen, it was a like mirror, only showing his insides.

"Will they all be what's left of me someday?", Rocket's voice cracked but he couldn't cry, no not here, not now, he needs to be strong, he knows he does.

A gentile hand he felt on his shoulder, it turned him around; It was Shuri crouched down.

"You are more than just bunch on metal, Rocket", She explained to him, even tho they were on the same eye level, Rocket couldn't leave the floor his eyes locked into.

"When we all are gone", Rocket slowly had started lifting his head up, "all that will be left from us, is what we had done"

"What do you mean by that?", now he was able to look at her eye to eye.

"The good things or bad ones that we do, and had affected someone's life in any way or at least left a mark, is what people will remember about us"

Rocket started to think of his time saving Xandar with the Guardians, when he had stopped Ego with them too, even those kids in wakanda he played with for a split second...

That's what he will be left of him, the impact he had done in others life, no matter how big it was.

Rocket heart felt some comfort in this idea.

A half smile left his body to his face, making Shuri smile right back at him.

The High Evolutionary had now joined his army with Thanos. He also had what Vim called the “Hellspawn”,but he wasn’t too fond of the name. Then again,he wasn’t fond of a lot of names.

After getting rid of Thanos’ corpse,taking over the ship,and recording a small message for the Guardians of The Galaxy,The High Evolutionary had made a machine powerful enough to harness the Infinity Stones. All that was required was the same gauntlet that the Mad Titan had once had on his fist. Now,the gauntlet had been melted and molded into some sort of wheel that could harness the infinity stones.

The High Evolutionary had gotten Recorder Theel to find Rocket’s file from OrgoCorp. Not like THE had forgotten the things he knew about Rocket,but he was certain he’d get him back now. He didn’t need to remember Rocket,he just knew that Rocket was going to pay for what he’d done to him and that he’d use Rocket’s brain.

Finding files on the Avengers was something he’d done too. He was able to find files on Thor Odinson,Captain Marvel,and Iron Man. He was also able to find Loki’s file,but Loki wouldn’t be an asset to factor in whether he was alive or not.

However,Killing the Avengers wasn’t something on THE’s mind.

That Captain Marvel they warned me of a few years ago…it’s extremely unlikely that the rest of the so called “Avengers” will be as powerful as her. If they were barely able to take down the Asgardian Prince from taking over a city,they can’t stop me. I have to admit though,the prince would’ve won had he seeked my help and not the Mad Titan’s.

Only a few days from this point is when THE wanted to attack Wakanda. He knew that they were expecting him and he didn’t want to give them much time,but the idea of Rocket being terrified made The High Evolutionary absolutely thrilled.

He’d found another advertisement of the Guardians’. He’d also found some files about them. Anything he could use against Rocket he would,and he’d do it a million times over.

“Vim.” THE was sitting in his chair looking through all of the files he’d gathered,beside him,his most trusted recorder.

“Yes,Sire?”

“Prepare the army. We shall arrive to Earth soon…” THE told her,a menacing smile began to creep onto his face,”After that,it’ll be time for 89P13 to return home.”

Chapter Text

A loud laughter caught Gamora's attention, at the corner of her eyes she could see Drax and M'Baku side by side, she turned her head at them to get a better look at the two

They were laughing at one another's either jokes or story, great now there is two of him, Gamora shaked her head with a sigh.

Nat looked at what Gamoras eyes are gazing at, looking back at her with Bucky locked down with her legs around his neck, he could get out with ease from her grip, but why would he when he's clearly enjoying it.

Nat rolled her eyes, making Gamora smile.

They had both suggested for everyone to train when someone like The High Evolutionary was gonna attack them at any given second, and thought it might be a good idea to get to know the ones of your side better

Yet there they are, only Gamora, Natasha and Bucky showed up to the garden.

This garden is just right outside the palace, it was quite big, they were in a circle surrounded by it's green natural grass with colored flowers beaming from it; two trees casting just the right shadow from the sun, and the view it gives you to all of wakanda...That made it something to unreal, and the prefect spot for hange out, or like how Natsha and Gamora, saw it: for training.

 Drax and M'Baku laughing heading to the sunset was something she did expect to happen, but if this was a movie, this is the ending where they all just live happily ever after.

Gamora looked into the beautiful sunset, will we get that, she wasn't smiling anymore as sadness filled her face, do we even deserve a happily ever after, Gamora wasn't a saint nor any of her friends and family for a she knows, they all had done horrifying things they might not be pround of but they all had a reason to exist, and that reason was most likely to cause pain and destruction.

Another sound of laughter closer to her snapped her from her blue thoughts before she started to think about how she felt like she backed stapped Rocket few hours ago.

Bucky had gotten freed from Natasha's grip and now he is pinning her down, on top of her he got hold of her hands on each of her side rose up to her head, yet not hurting her, making her laugh under him, as he simled at her, his bun got loose and his hair on his face.

Gamora couldn't hold her laughter at them, We do deserve our haply ending, hell we earned it. She resured herself that she is one of the good guys now.

Okoye alone came through the stone arched entrance gate of the garden, coverd the ivy growing on it.

"Well that’s most certainly not training", she gave Nat and Bucky a look.

Bucky got up and handed over his hand for Natasha to grab it, which she did of course, as he pulled her off the ground.

"You're here to train as will?", Gamora asked her, eager to change the general of the Dora milaje for a spar.

"If its like what I just witnessed", she waved her hand to the ground, "then no thank you".

Her response got a chuckle out of the four of them, more of embarrassed ones from the two love birds.

"Okay than why are you here?", Bucky asked her, still holding Natasha hand, despite her standing all good next to him, is either he hadn't noticed or he just found the right place for them.

Okoye gave their locked hands a look before answering, "I'm here for her actually", she shock her head towards Gamora.

"The princess asked for your presence at her lab as well", she continued.

Gamora's heart dropped to her stomach, it's about Rocket isn't it?, the thought of Rocket might have gotten hurt made her worry, only to remember he prolly was still mad at her, which made her more worried.

"What is it about?", Gamora said placing down a wooden staff she had been carrying for the majority of the time, she started walking slowly to her, walking pass Nat and Bucky who seemed worried as well.

"She didn't tell what it's about but...", Okoye could read the worrying wave came after what she had said, "your friend is okay, he was actually sent to your house not long before" 

She hoped this will ease Gamoras mind, which it clearly did, the two women gave each other a gentle comforting smile as they walked together out of the garden after they had said their goodbye to Nat and Bucky.

Gamora and Okoye didn't walk much till they got to the landing hanger, Gamora didn't notice at first, but then she saw Peter standing along side Nebula with Shuri talking.

Right when she got to them, Drax was just right behind her, "I guess I'm not the only one that got called out", Peter pointed out.

"What is happening?", Gamora asked Shuri and Okoye, "did we do something wrong?".

Shuri looked up from her tablet, "I don't know why you guys assumed that immediately", she smiled to them, telling they are not in troubles in any sort.

"I wanted to share with you something me and Dr banner had discovered while examining Rocket", she looked upset by what she said, "and i don't know if he even knows about it".

"What is it?", Peter became more concerned than ever.

"It will be better if I just showed you at my lab", she said with her hand to the opened hanger of the ship.

Gamora looked at Peter, as he was as confused and worried as her.

The four guardians got into the ship with Shuri and Okoye as they headed to her lab.

Gamora had asked Peter what he was doing, after she had shared her disappointment for not showing up to training; he told he was by the golden city looking for Thor knowing he wasn't the same as he was at their ship, he was more down and he wanted to see if he is okay and would help them against The High Evolutionary.

The ship got to mount bashenga, they interd the same way as Rocket to her lab, Bruce was waiting in the lap looking at screens and writing down notes.

"Oh great they're here", he said before starting to walk to a big screen as they followed after him, him and Shuri stood in front of it seeming not sure who will break some news to them.

"What is it?", Peter knew that look, he had went through it more than he hoped to, even when he was 8 years old, "Is Rocket okay?"

"Well, by the definition of 'Okay', yeah he is, I guess", Bruce really tried to make it sound as comforting as possible.

"By the definition of what?...dude just tell us what's going on", Peter's worry had started to grow on him.

Shuri turned to face the screen, and with few clicks a hologram showed up from behind the guardians, they all turned around to it to notice it is a hologram of Rocket laying down, she zoomed in to his heart on the screen, the hologram zoomed as well, a big blue beating heart was in front of them.

Peter was the first to step towards it, "Is that Rockets heart?", he turned around to face the two scientists.

"Yes", Bruce pushed his glasses back and pointed to a red figure attached to the raccoons blue heart.

"And that should not be there", he explained.

Each of the guardian took a better look at it and a gasp they all outed.

"Is that a kill switch?", Nebula asked the question she was sure the others tried to ask but they couldn't from disbelief.

"Yes it is,” Shuri said now standing next to Gamora whom seem so worried, Shuri placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, "we think there could be a way to deactivate it.”

"Why not remove it?” Drax grunted crossing his arms feeling angry, and more eager to stop the life out of The High Evolutionary.

Shuri and Bruce exchanged a look for a second, "we will do that one it's deactivated", Bruce answered, taping on the screen showing a deta board so long in a language not from earth, "we were able to inter the deta of the kill switch..."

"Rocket doesn't know about it", Shuri jumped into the conversation and continued, "we thought it would have been best if he knew from his family".

"Yeah I think that's a good idea", Gamora gave Shuri a quick smile of gesture.

"Yes um, so we found out that the kill switch is a device set to destruct if anyone goes poking around inside him, apparently someone considers him proprietary technofogy, I guess we all know who that someone is", Bruce finished what he had to say.

"So, what to do now?", Peter wondered even though he knew what the answer is, he just didn't like the idea of Rocket being opened up again.

"We go home and tell Rocket about this and let him decide for himself what to do", Gamora moved to Peter as his anxiety started to grow on him.

"That's exactly what we were about to tell you to do", Shuri commented picking up a tablet and handing it over to Gamora, "all that we were able to gather about Rocket is in here".

Gamora took it from her looking at it and back at Shuri, "thank you"

Rocket made it back home straight from the lab, he knew he needed to make it right with Groot after what happened hours ago at the palace.

He opened the door with his key, he opened the door thinking the rest would be home already, only to his surprise, the only noise where coming from the living room TV.

It was Mantis going through the channels and once she heard the door open she rushed to see who is it, and was glad it was Rocket.

"Hey Mant," even though he was tired, he never failed to put up a smile for Mantis.

Rocket and Mantis started off their siblings like relationship on a rough start, but with time, Rocket saw the sweetness and innocent that lies within Mantis, and how she never treated him like a monster or an abomination, and that ment a lot to him.

"You look tired", Mantis pointed out with worry the obvious for both of them.

"Well what can I say, it's been a long day,” his attention went to the stairs and the fact Groot must be upstairs.

"Yeah he has been there for quite a time,” Mantis grabbed the raccoons attention back.

"Whaatt", Rocket snorted, "you can read minds now"

"Yes and you should be scared,” Mantis declared doing a scare pose with her hands like they are have claws.

Rocket and her giggled a little at their silliness.

"Do you know when the others are coing back?" Mantis wondered.

"I actually thought everyone would be here by now" he admitted to her 

"Nope, it's been just me and Groot here ever since the meeting ended"

"Yeah I figured" Rocket took yet another look upstairs, "I should go talk to him"

Mantis gave Rocket a reassuring smile before she head back to the TV and he went upstairs to his surrogate son.

Rocket opened Groot and his bedroom's door to see Groot crawled up in his bed.

He sat on the bed side next to him and landed a gentle touch to his shoulder, Groot shrugged his touch away.

Rocket took a deep breath, "Hey, kid,” he started trying to find the right way to start this conversation, "you think we could talk about this?”

"I AM GROOT", <there is nothing to talk about>, Groot said and then covering his head with a blanket afterward.

Rocket pulled the blanket away from his head and placed his paw against his shoulder, only this time Groot didn't deny it.

"I'm sorry you had to hear me say that" Rockets voice was sad as it took him back to earlier this day when he said what he had said.

"I am groot", <I know that you are>, Groot stood up and sat next to his dad.

"I am groot", <Why did you say it if you meant it?>, Groots heart sanked down, sitting on the edge of the bed, sad from his dad for saying such a thing or even thinking about it as a last result.

"I am Groot", <you had me and our family on your side>, a tear fell down his cheek .

Rocket grabbed his hand and squeezed it, "you weren't supposed to hear me say that", Rocket sighed, "you are still young to be caught up in all of this mess, let alone understand it"

"I Am groot", <WHY does everyone keeps treating me like a little>, "I AM GROOT", <when I'm not>

"But you are still a kid, Groot", Rocket resured him, he knew and every other guardian what's it like to grow up fast, he didn't want that for him too.

"I am Groot", <you had me place a bomb in a celestial's brain when I was a baby>.

Rockets ears and face melt in shame in a way.

"I am Groot", <I know you all want to protect me, and I understand that>

"I am groot", <but I am also a part of this family and your mess is as much as mine as it's yours, dad>

"I never wanted this upon anyone, especially you", Rocket never felt as he failed this Groot and Groot senior as much as he felt these past few days.

"I am groot", <I know dad, that's why we will help you with it, you are not alone>

Rocket gave a soft smile to his son, Rocket pulled him closer to him and hugged him very dearly, Groot returned his hug to his dad and letting his branches spread to hug him even more.

"I am groot", <you promise me you won't do such a stupid thing like what you said>

Rocket chuckled, "Yeah I promise"

It was a moment of peace between the two, until, Gamora had opened the door.

"Gamora!", Rocket noticed her as she was standing by the door not making a sound smiling at them, they both pulled away.

"Didn't know you came back", Rocket said whipping away his tears.

"Yeah me and the others came back just now", She stepped into the room getting closer to them two, "Rocket I want to-"

"Its alright", He interrupted her, "I'm sorry".

"No, you shouldn't apologize, but me", Gamora sat down on the bed to his other side,

"And to you too Groot, I don't know why I twisted your words and lied to you Groot, I should be the one to apologize".

"I am Groot", <it's okay, you only did it to protect me I know that>.

"Yeah, it's all good here too", Rocket added.

Gamora was relieved with a smile on her face, "we have brought food if your two hungry".

"I am Groot.", <yes very>, groot jumped of his bed and headed down the stairs with both Rocket and Gamora where everyone else was waiting for them.

Each on them was already unpacking the food from the bags on the dining room table, "ahh we were waiting on you", Drax called for them.

"I was gone for like 10 seconds" Gamora took the chair next to Peter.

"Too long.” shaking their heads in laughter they all took their seat and had a loving family dinner.

Each time Peter would smile or laugh with them, he would be reminded how this might be the last time all seven of them would sit down like a family together, and it wasn't just Peter.

Gamora also knew they will have tell the happy for the first time in days raccoon, that he has a killswitch on his heart, or even remembering the fact her father's killer in on the way after him, seeking his death.

Let's just enjoy this while it lasts.

Each guardian took duty to clean up, and they were done with is so fast and had time to sit and watch some TV, before Peter had sat down right in front of Rocket blocking his view.

"Dude!", Rocket snapped by what Peter is doing, "you are kinda of in my view"

"I know man," Peter grabbed the remote from Gamora and turned of the TV.

"What's going on?", Mantis was just as confused as Rocket, same goes for Groot.

"You should know something", Peter revealed the tablet he had been holding for quite a while now.

Rocket looking back at Peter and the table not sure what's going on, he took one quick at Peter, Why is he sad?, Rocket knew whatever this table holds, it can't be good, his whole body is frozen can't be moved.

Gamora sat down next to Rocket on the floor leaning her back to the couch just like him, she grabbed the tablet from Peter.

"Rocket, we were called by Bruce and Princess Shuri today to the lab", Rocket's heart started beating faster, he knew the two scientists were hiding something from him and now he will know what that was.

Gamora opened the tablet, "they showed us your body scanning results, and...", she turned the tablet over to him and held it for him to take it.

Millions of thought hovering in his head, before letting them consume him whole, he fetched it from her, and immediately his eyes started working to see what has been discovered.

The tablet was open to a full x-ray live picture of himself laying down, Gamora tapped twice on it and it zoomed in to his heart; he saw his heart beating and couldn't agnore the red device attached to it.

Rocket pushed the tablet away from him, placing his paw to his chest, "Is that?".

Rocket panting for air, No it can't be, he wanted to forget he ever saw that, ye had lived his whole life not knowing about it, why couldn't he continue that way.

Peter turned the tablet off and got closer to him, placing a gentle hand to his shoulder, "Rocket!", but there was no answer from the little fella, "Hey Rock.”

Peter's soft calling for him finally was able to pull him back to his friends, away from imaging how The High Evolutionary manged to put such a killswitch on his heart, Was it meant to kill me at a certain time? Did the other have ones too?....

"Do you know what that is?", Drax asked Rocket from behind him.

"It's a killswitch isn't it?", his eyes gazing up to face Peter sitting right in front of him with his head low, he looked to his right, to Gamora, she was shaking her head in agreement looking sorrowful.

Rocket took a deep breath, trying to clear his mind and all.

"I want it removed".

Peter snapped his head up, and same actually goes to all of them, staring at Rocket who seemed so sure with what he just said.

"Are you sure about that?", Peter asked his friend hoping he is not making his decision out of impulse.

"Yeah!” Rocket got up and walked to be in front of them all, "I'm not gonna live the rest of my life with a loaded gun to my head, I won't let The High Evolutionary take the best of me, and control me again, knowing this..."

He had his shaky paw on his chest, "...could go off and kill me, making him win over me, im not letting him have this, I can't", he puased for a second to look at Groot as tears started falling from his eyes, "I have promised someone"

Silence filled the room until Gamora started knee walking towards him, she stopped once she got to him, letting him allow himself to hug her as he wants.

Peter then joined their hug, and so did Groot, Drax, Mantis and finally Nebula who felt awkward at first only for them to pull her in including her in the hug, she felt accepted by her new family and embraced that.

The next day in the morning the guardians head to the hospital near the palace, it was the main medical department in wakanda for being the biggest.

Rocket and the guardians manged to get there at the exact time Shuri asked for them to show up at, they were able to got to the room were the whole operation will happen, thanks to the doctors that were there for escorting them so they don't get lost.

"I thought we were gonna do this at your lab?" Rocket asked Shuri looking around at the big room feeling his heart racing.

"My lab doesn't have the equipment for a heart surgery like the hospital does, that's why I just brought what I need to deactivate the kill switch, which isn't a lot", she explained to him, before she was pulled to the side by a doctor, or maybe he was a scientist, Rocket doesn't know, he was too focused on what might happen if this all go wrong and they accidentally set off the kill switch.

Peter had noticed his little furry friend being out of place as he was saying his goodbyes to the guardians.

Rocket didn't say anything when the doctors had helped him on the operating table, he just looked around in his hospital gown that he was against at first, his chest felt heavy.

He held everything in though not saying a single word, "You wanna talk about somethin'? While
we wait?" Peter asked, as he sat on the chair beside
his friend, "Somethin' other than this place."

"You talk."Rocket told him, "I'll just listen.”

Within the recent days, Peter had seen a side of Rocket that he'd never seen, Rocket had hidden his broken pieces for so long, that he didn't care too much about Peter and the others seeing him for what he really was now.

"So, uhh", Peter hesitated to what to talk about, "I discovered so many new artists that we probably haven't given a shot yet, like there is this one, called-"

For a moment there, Rocket felt like what life was before he knew the mad-man that turned him into he is, is coming after him.

A doctor approached the two, "We are gonna start soon".

Peter took this as his cue to leave, as he stood from his place and the doctor sat down, "I'm gonna out this mask on, and you will be under anesthesia, you won't feel anything through out the whole surgery"

Rocket noded and noticed the mask gas they definitely had brought from the Benatar, he had made that costume mask for him in case of emergency and never thought he will have to use it, until now.

Peter turned around to look at his friend before leaving to see him reaching his paw for him, Peter immediately took it into his hand.

"Stay", Rocket said through the mask as the anesthesia started going through it.

Peter smiled to him, "Everything’s gonna be fine, okay?"He held to him till he was completely unconscious.

Peter was escorted out to the waiting room were the rest of the Guardians were.

"Alright people", Shuri said taking everyones attention in the room, "we have a killswitch to deactivate first and then remove, all in the hopes of saving the life of a dear new friend of Wakanda, so let's get to work."

Chapter Text

The guardians waited in the hospital's waiting room, every time a doctor would pass by them, they would jump from their seats to ask about Rocket and how the operation is going.

Only to be met with the same respond, "we will tell you everything once we could", or "I'm not one of the doctors working on his case".

The silence of not knowing what is happening only made them more anxious.

Wanda and Vision had came by the hospital before leaving, Wanda left some red roses thanking the little fella for helping them in defending her lover, and wishing them all nothing other than good things.

Rhodes came to visit before he heads back to the United States too, he apologized for not being able to stay and help out, but they understood; They very appreciated his cares and visit.

Other familiar faces came to visit as well, one which was Thor, they hadn't seen Thor many ever since the news break of Thanos's death, they knew such news had changed the angel pirate, just didn't expect it would change him that bad.

Thor had came over looking hangeover, he spoke few words in his tongue language about family love, he never finished fully translating what he said before being cut off with his own broken voice.

Everyone had understood what he is going through, Peter knew others had tried to talk to him but he just shrugged them off, I should check on him, Peter thought when Thor left the hospital few hours ago swinging side to side, it must've taken hell of an amount of alcohol to get the God of thunder drunk.

"G-guardians of the galaxy", a woman in a blue scrub called out holding a medical file.

The guardians immediately got up, "Yes that's us", Peter's heart was racing even more than when he was just sitting waiting, "Is Rocket okay?", the question had been wondering in his mind none stop finally escaped.

"I am glad to inform you, Rocket's surgery had went well..."

Before the doctor could finish her sentence, loud sighs of relief came out of the worried family of the raccoon, closing their eyes taking deep breaths and truly feel their lungs being filled with air.

The doctor smiled as the sight, "with the help of our technology, his recovery shouldn't take much long"

Gamora walked up to the doctor hands out for her, the doctor placed the file under her arm and took Gamoras hands, "thank you..", Gamora took a look at the doctor's name tag, "...Asha"

"Happy to help", Asha responded to what seems not only Gamora but to all of them with their thankful faces, "If you could follow me, I'll take you to his room"

"Can we all see him?", Mantis questioned.

"Usually we don't allow this many people to visit this early, only direct family members...", Asha answered but not fully finished, "and all of you are his direct family by the words of the princess, and she made an exception for such a big family"

What did we do to deserve the kindness of these people, Peter thought with a smile on his face just like the one on everyone's else's.

The team entered the room. It was much nicer than a typical Terran hospital room, but the Guardians weren’t sure what to expect. There was a window, a television, some chairs, a heart rate monitor near a bed, a bunch of cords….And Rocket.

The team had just assumed that he’d be awake. Yet, Rocket was fast asleep. At least 8 cords came from his body and hooked up the one of the machines near him. There was a patch of fur missing and scarring on his chest from the incision and the surgery. He didn’t seem to be in much pain now though, for now he slept.

Peter smiled softly and felt another wave of relief wash over him. He grabbed one of the chairs and pulled it near Rocket’s bed to sit by him.

The other Guardians sat down as well. Mantis, however, walked over and put her hand out to touch Rocket’s furry head. She closed her eyes and smiled.

“He’s okay. Just resting. A lot calmer than the first time I met him that’s for sure.” She said as softly as possible. This caused a small chuckle from Drax.

They sat and waited on their friend to wake up for about 30 minutes. They didn’t turn on the television, they just sat in silence and waited.

Eventually, Rocket began to twitch and he let out a small groan. All the Guardians turned the attention completely to Rocket, with concern.

Rocket’s muscles and chest felt extremely sore. But it was nothing he hadn’t dealt with before. He hadn’t opened his eyes yet, but he could hear his family around him.

"Shh he’s waking up.” Rocket could hear someone faintly speaking.
Gamora?

"Should I call the doctor?” That one was definitely Drax.

"…Yeah man go…"

Rocket began to open his eyes, he opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

"Hey, man, you alright…?” Peter sat near the bed, his face filled with concern. Rocket tried to sit up, yet his body wouldn’t let him.

He let out a little noise of defeat and went back laying down.

"Don't push yourself,” Peter reached to a button by the side of the bed and it went up.

Rocket breathed in and out deeply. He closed his eyes and began to think,
What’s the last thing I remember? There were doctors around me. Did he get me again? No, no, Quill is here. It was the killswitch. They took it off.

He opened his eyes again to see Gamora, Peter, Mantis, Groot, and Nebula.

Rocket’s eyes began to scan the room and everything around him. It was a defense technique that Peter had learned that Rocket did. Anytime he felt vulnerable, really any time at all though, he began to look for any way to escape.

“Is the killswitch gone…?” Rocket’s scratchy voice was drier now than usual.

“Yeah, yeah…They deactivated the switch and removed it.” Peter decided that he would reach out to put his hand on Rocket’s shoulder, but didn’t due to his injured chest. He then began to scratch behind Rocket behind his ear.

For a split second, Rocket leaned in. He then immediately pulled away and made a noise at his body jerking away.

“It’s okay. It’s okay, I promise.” Peter assured Rocket. Rocket watched the other Guardians as they just watched as well in worry.

I never wanted them to pity me. So much for that.

Drax returned to the room, followed by Asha, the doctor the Guardians had seen earlier. Rocket’s eyes follow the doctor as Drax sat down. Drax smiled softly at him and Rocket attempted a smile back.

Asha went to Rocket’s opposite side and began to examine him, “He woke up that quick? You’re a strong one, that was a tough surgery.”

“You’re a strong one,” The High Evolutionary had told him,”That was a tough surgery. You understand that it had to happen for your perfection in the New World, right, P13?”

Rocket’s young self had just nodded in pain in response before replying with, ”Yes,Sire.”

Rocket snapped out of his flash back and leaned toward Peter as soon as the doctor put her hand toward him. Peter grabbed Rocket’s hand. “It’s okay. I’m not gonna let anything happen to you.” Peter said under his breath. He wasn’t sure if Rocket heard him or not, though.

The doctor began to scan her eyes over Rocket. This time when she put her hand out to see Rocket’s chest, Rocket didn’t immediately pull away. He stayed still.

“He did great.” The doctor smiled and looked to the other Guardians, “He needs at least 2 days to rest though.”

“Do we have that?” Gamora asked to no one in particular,”Do we have two days?”

Peter sighed and continued to scratch behind Rocket’s ear, “Hopefully.”

The doctor left and there was silence. Rocket didn’t speak, he just breathed deeply in and out. Rocket thought to himself, I can feel it. But it doesn’t hurt too badly. I can’t feel it. Sire The High Evolutionary made sure of that.

“I am Groot?”

Groot took Rocket from his thoughts. Rocket only nodded in response.

“Do you feel better now?” Asked Drax, causing the other Guardians to look over at him in confusion.

“You think he could actually feel it on his heart?” Gamora asked Drax, wondering if he was serious, but still annoyed.

“Maybe he could…” Mantis said, quietly, “Maybe he does feel better now.”

“You can’t feel stuff like that!” Nebula told Mantis, irritated,”If he could, it would’ve hurt him by now.”

“Dude, he couldn’t feel it. We would’ve known,” Peter told them both, ”C’mon guys be serious.”

“No, it’s fine.” Rocket looked to his team,attempting a smile,”I couldn’t feel it. But, flark. I can feel where they were in there now. So, answering your odd question, Drax…Mentally, I feel better. Physically, a heck of a lot worse.”

“Are you hungry?” Peter asked, “I can get you something.” He took his hand away from Rocket’s ear and put it on Rocket’s leg. He looked at Rocket with worry. Despite Rocket being the ‘toughest’ (Rocket always said that) out of the Guardians, Peter still worried for him.

“Yeah…yeah I’m a bit hungry.” Rocket leaned back and Peter pressed the button on the side of the bed to get the bed to lean back.

“‘Kay. I’ll getcha something. I’ll be back, Rock.” Peter stood up and left the room.

As he walked out, he found Thor in the waiting room. They had seen him earlier. It seemed impossible for someone to look worse and even more hungover than less than 2 hours ago. But Thor looked bad. It honestly made Peter feel bad for him.

“Hey,” Peter got his attention, Thor was definitely high, “What’re doing in here?”

“I came to get you!” Thor stood up, smiling, it honestly alarmed Peter, ”You acted like you could use a drink when your small friend was in surgery.”

“Thanks, man. I appreciate it, I do. Let me get Rocket some food, then I’ll be right with you. But not for too long okay?” Peter told him, and walked off.

“Alright, Quinn! I’ll see you later!” Thor called, obviously drunk.

“It’s not Quinn-“ Peter whispered to himself.

***

“I gotcha some soup. The people up there said that it was okay for raccoons.” Peter smiled when he returned to the room. The Guardians had been mid conversation about something. It was definitely something good, by the way they were acting.

It was nice to not always have the topic of Thanos or The High Evolutionary or someone trying to kill them.

Drax was rubbing behind Rocket’s ear as Peter was earlier. Typically, Rocket would hate that, but he let it happen now.

“I ain’t a raccoon.” Rocket replied, “Bring it over here.”

As Rocket put out his hand to reach the soup, Peter pulled away, “One of us are gonna feed you. You aren’t about to strain just to eat.”

Rocket leaned back, frustrated, “Heck no. Let me have the spoon, Quill.”

“Peter’s right,” Gamora told him, stopping the conversation with her and the others,”Let him feed you.”

Rocket sighed,”If you ever bring this up, I’ll blow your face off.”

Peter laughed as he got a spoonful of the soup and Rocket opened his mouth. As he fed Rocket, Rocket looked away the entire time, frustrated and not wanting to cooperate.

Despite the occasion conversation from Mantis and Nebula, it was mostly quiet while Peter helped Rocket eat.

“I’m gonna go hang out with Thor now,’kay?” Peter said once he’d finished feeding Rocket.

“When’d you and the angel man start becoming friends?” Asked Drax, watching as his friend stood up.

“We aren’t really friends, but he invited me to come hang out,” Peter thought the Guardians would judge him if they knew he was going to drink, so he didn’t tell the whole truth,”Get me if you need me. I got my comm on me.”

“Okay.” Rocket told him, assuming that he wasn’t telling the entire truth,”See ya, Quill.”

And with that, Peter was out of the room to find Thor.

Peter knocked on the apartment they had told him it was Thor's temporary place.

He didn't want to leave Rocket's side, not this quick since he awaken, but he had to check on Thor, and he would really feel guilty to refuse his kind invite especially in the state Thor is in.

Thor opened the door, he seemed...sober?

"Come in", Thor happily placed a hand on Peter's shoulder making sigh at the strong grab.

"I have went to a liquor store", he moved his arm around Peter's shoulders welcoming him into his apartment, "they gave me the finest of what they have"

Thor waved his hand to the round table in the middle with several drinking bottles on top of it.

Peter moved his eyes to see a trash bag in the corner of the living room, I was filled with empty bottles; Thor had cleaned as best as he could the olace before his arrival.

"Nice", Peter stretched his word, not sure if his body will be able to drink that much of alcohol.

"So tell me, how is the little fella?", Thor asked as they both seated on the couch grabbing a bottle of the table.

"He is doing well", Peter afford a genuine smile.

"And to that we shall drink", Thor technology screamed raising the bottle of liquor.

They both started off with small shots, shots of the finest alcohol Peter had ever tasted that's for sure, shots turned into old fashioned drinking glass, but Thor went straight to larg beer mugs.

Hiccups started to fly in the ear out of the Starlord, with each one he and the God would laugh hysterically at it.