A/N: This pairing has been floating around in my head for months. They don't seem to be particularly popular, but they makes perfect sense in my head. Rated M for sexual content in upcoming chapters. Enjoy, and please let me know what you think.

01

"Gamora, you got a transmission."

The little genetically engineered raccoon sauntered unapologetically into Peter's sleeping compartment to find Gamora and Peter engrossed in conversation. The pair glanced briefly from where they sat on the floor of the Milano before returning to their discussion. Quill was in the midst telling Gamora another fascinating story about Earth's pop culture.

"Just a moment Rocket," she replied, placing a finger in the air to silence him. "Now Peter, I don't understand. How did their singing and dancing fuel this "Greased Lightning" to levitate from Earth? You cannot sustain a ship with sound. They're just vibrations. Waves that propagate through a medium. It makes no sense."

Peter sighed, scratching his temple. Explaining Earth concepts to Gamora was often akin to making a metaphorical joke to Drax. Nonetheless, her reactions to his stories always left him amused, and Gamora herself enjoyed hearing his strange tales.

"It wasn't just the dancing and singing." He smirked leaning in close to her. "It was love."

A smile teased her verdian lips as she narrowed her eyes playfully at him, replying, "That, Peter Quill, is utterly unbelievable. I much prefer the legend of Kevin Bacon. He was far more valiant."

With a groan, Rocket ambled up to the duo and plopped the transreceiver on Gamora's lap. She looked down at it with surprise, not having heard the little mammal walk up behind her. The device was flashing wildly, indicating she had an incoming call.

"Thanks Rocket." Flipping the receiver over, she checked the transmission ID. It read Anonymous. "Peter, do you think I could have a moment to take this?"

"Not a problem," he quickly returned, hurrying to the doorway with Rocket by his side. "Oh! I got another good one for you when you're finished. It's called the tale of West Side Story." With a quick wink he left the room leaving her in silence.

Gamora could not help but smile to herself once she was alone. Peter was a strange Terran, and incredibly goofy, but she felt closer to him than any of her other shipmates. In fact, how she viewed Peter was in a category all together separate from the others. That was not a fact she necessarily liked acknowledging, but it could hardly be overlooked with how much time they were spending together lately.

Sighing, she opened her transreceiver. There were not many who knew her private frequency, so she was curious as to who was calling her. For a moment the transmission screen was black, but after several seconds of establishing a connection, an image formed. Gamora's jaw nearly hit the floor.

"My dear Gamora." A subtle smile ghosted across the man's lips. "Hello again."

She found herself at a loss for words as she absorbed the image before her, her mouth parting in silent shock. Uncertainly, she whispered his name.

"Tivan?"

The black mark on his lower lip curved as his grin grew.

"The one and only, my lady."

Nearly a year had passed since she last exchanged words with Taneleer. The day their ragtag team presented him with the orb on Knowhere was the last time the two had spoken. She could hardly fathom the reason he was calling upon her now.

"I know my call is unexpected," he purred, his smirk fading. "But the matter is urgent, so I will be to the point. I require your presence here, on Knowhere."

"My presence on Knowhere?" She repeated in a baffled tone. "Why, exactly?"

Glancing from the screen, his expression grew grave. Absently, he drew a few tendrils of his platinum locks around a finger as he spoke.

"I don't feel it is safe to disclose the details over a transmission. We need to speak face-to-face." Before she could protest, he fixed her with a serious glance. "I will tell you this much, however. It concerns the fate of the universe."

Tilting her head to the side, she knitted her brow and whispered, "Are people in danger?"

He nodded slowly, his heavily hooded eyes following her in motion with his chin.

"You want our help then?"

"No," he snapped suddenly, startling her. "I want your help."

"Mine...? That's absurd, why -"

"I've said enough," he grumbled, sitting back. "I expect your presence on Knowhere within the next several days. Alone."

The transmission cut out before she could say another word.

It was in Tivan's style to leave a cryptic message. Under different circumstances she would have completely dismissed it, but given the content of his transmission she could not so easily sweep his message under the rug. To have not spoken to him in well over a year, only to receive such a brief and urgent call unnerved her.

"I will tell you this much, however. It concerns the fate of the universe."

The words haunted her as she gazed at the empty transreceiver. If going to Knowhere meant she could save the lives of innocent creatures, Gamora would willingly travel to his lair. Still, there was no way of knowing what Taneleer was playing at by asking her to come alone. The odd request would have been unbelievable if not for his tone. Something about his voice told her he was speaking the truth.

"Gamora." Peter's voice tore her from her thoughts. As engrossed as she was in her ruminations, she had not heard him come in. "Tell me you're not seriously considering going to Knowhere."

"You were listening to my transmission?" She asked, slightly insulted.

"I didn't mean to," he muttered apologetically. "But, come on, you can't trust that kleptomaniac. I mean, you remember don't you, the guy wanted to turn Groot into an armoire! He's a nut job."

Shifting away from him, she let out a frustrated huff. Quill's eavesdropping had peeved her.

"You don't know a thing about Taneleer Tivan, Peter." She captured his gaze again briefly, her brown eyes blazing. "You don't know what he is. I don't trust him. Not for a long shot. But if he says the universe is in danger, I won't take it lightly."

While it was true Tivan appeared as little more than an eccentric with too much time and money on his hands, there was more to him than met the eye. In fact, it was upon the Dark Asther that Gamora first learned of the Collector's existence. Consequently, it was also how she came to strike an eventual deal with him regarding the orb. She recalled the very words as they fell from Ronan's mouth that night.

"But there is one who could pose a threat to you Thanos." Ronan bellowed through the murky darkness.

The Mad Titan chuckled, voice brimming with amusement.

"Taneleer Tivan?"

"The great Collector," Ronan rejoined, his voice baritone. "He is one of the Elders of the Universe, is he not? Older than you, Thanos. Arguably more powerful."

A sudden roar of laughter echoed throughout the chamber.

"Old and powerful he may be, but he is equally as deluded. Tivan lost his way long ago. Once I might have feared him, but now he is nothing more than a simple-minded hoarder. He is no threat to me, boy."

The notion of another sentient more powerful than Thanos intrigued Gamora immensely. For her entire life, she was lead to believe there were none more great and deadly than the Mad Titan. Knowing there was one who could match or supersede her maniacal father fascinated her. Later, upon learning of Ronan's intentions regarding Xandar, she could think of no one more suited to receive the orb. If he truly were an Elder of Universe, he could easily conceal the artifact, or so she thought.

"Alright." Peter paced the small compartment impatiently, his hands anchored on his hips. "Well, what I do know is the man is a weirdo, and you're not going there alone."

The look Gamora shot Quill made him bite his tongue.

"You will not tell me what I can and cannot do Peter Quill!" Marching past him, she set her sights on the exit of the room. "You seem to forget who exactly I am!"

Before she could bound through the door, he arrested one of her emrald wrists in his hand.

"Fine, fine. We'll drop you off at Knowhere. Then, come pick you up when you're –"

"No!" She interrupted abruptly, twisting in his grasp. "I'll take myself to Knowhere."

Peter's expression immediately sharpened. With a sudden jerk, he pulled her backwards and captured her in his arms. Circling one arm around her slender waist, he positioned her head in the crook of his neck.

"Gamora," he breathed heavily into her ear. "If I insulted you, I'm sorry. Please...don't be like this."

His lips so near to the base of her ear made her shiver.

"Peter, I'm going alone." As he drew his fingers over the bare skin of her mid drift, caressing her softly, she nearly gasped. "I need my independence back. I need remember who I am -" A an abrupt moan left her lips as his mouth careened the flesh of her neck. "I...need to get away from you."

"Are you sure that's what you want?" He whispered, teeth grazing the base of her neck.

In fact, it was not what she wanted, and that very truth agitated her. She did not want to go to Knowhere. She wanted to stay there, on the Milano, with Quill and her friends. What she needed, however, was to get away from him. With each passing day she was falling deeper under the Terran's spell. His touch had become more frequent, and she had come to not only expect it, but welcome it. In his proximity her mind grew foggy. What she needed was clarity.

Releasing herself from his grasp, she took several steps forward before breaking their momentary silence.

"Take me to the moon of Pyrus. We're close, and I can rent a ship there. Tivan will transfer me the credits."

The look on Peter's face almost broke her resolve. His expression was wounded.

"You don't have to run from this Gamora."

She held his gaze for several moments before turning away.

"Yes. I do."

To be continued...?