Look who's back, back again...

So, I honestly never pictured Peter and Gamora in this scenario (the baby thing)...but then I actually had a dream about this very concept (that's what I get for writing fanfic right before bed)...and thus, this story was born.

As much as I wanted to put one of my other GOTG ideas out there first, this one just wouldn't leave me alone, so I'm tossing it out to the mercy of fanfiction instead.

Enjoy! Feedback is loved.

Prologue—Present Day

"Hey."

Gamora smiles to herself at his voice, still staring absently at her reflection in the large port window in the back of the Benatar. She doesn't even bother to turn around, because she really doesn't need to. She'd known he was behind her well before he'd entered the room, but even after all these years together, Peter still made sure she knew he was coming, because it was impossible to erase the years of torture under Thanos and her knee-jerk reactions to fight first, think later.

Thank the universe Thanos is finally dead. Gamora still doesn't really believe it sometimes. It's only been a few years, after all.

She sighs heavily as Peter wraps his arms around her from behind, leaning her head back on his shoulder. He squeezes her gently, resting his head against hers. "What are you doin' back here all by yourself?"

Gamora smiles again as he nuzzles her ear, and she turns to glance back at him. "I just needed some time to think."

"Oh yeah?" Peter muses good-naturedly, pressing a kiss to her temple. "About what? Besides me, of course."

She ignores his joke, her smile immediately turning into a frown as she slowly pulls out of his embrace to look back at him. "About how this mission is a terrible idea."

At her words, Peter's smile falls and he sighs, running a hand down his face. "We've talked about this, Gamora. We have to go. Somebody's in trouble, and we can't just ignore it."

Usually, Gamora would wholeheartedly agree with that. That was their mission, their purpose, in being the Guardians of the Galaxy, after all. Save the universe and help those in trouble.

"I know that, Peter," she shakes her head, "but that doesn't mean something still doesn't feel right about it."

Peter raises an eyebrow at her words. It's hardly the first time she's said that to him...and she's been right before, which they're both well aware of. "I get that, Gam, I do...but be honest, is it just because we're so close to The Sovereign territory that you think it's a bad idea?"

Gamora purses her lips, because she already knows what Peter is going to say. She shrugs, hoping she sounds more convincing than she feels. "I know how it sounds, but it doesn't make any sense. If there is a distress signal from a ship right outside The Sovereign, then why aren't they answering it?"

Simple," he makes a smug face, "the Sovereign are douchebags."

"Peter," she rolls her eyes, slapping his chest lightly, "I'm serious."

"Okay, okay," he sighs, gesturing widely with his hands, "I don't know why they're not answering it, exactly. Maybe they're not getting the signal, or maybe they think it's a trap. All I know is that we have to at least check it out, Gamora. We help people, that's sort of in our job description."

"And what if it is a trap?" she questions, arms crossed over her chest. "You will be walking right into it."

"Gamora," Peter's expression softens, and he pulls her back closer to him, putting his hands on her shoulders and squeezing gently, "are you just worried because you can't come with us?"

Her face hardens, but not before he sees the worry written there. "You could all use my help."

Peter chuckles, trying to lighten her mood, but when that doesn't work, he leans down to kiss her on the cheek instead before she can turn away. "That's what this is about, isn't it? You can't come with us, so you think that everything will go wrong."

"It could go wrong," she glares at him, because she is not in the mood for this right now, which is part of the reason she'd left the dinner table with the others as they'd discussed their game plan for the mission, and come down to the port side viewing portal in the first place, staring at the stars and trying to find some solace in them.

She hates the idea of the rest of the Guardians going on a mission without her, especially with so many unknowns, but she also knows that Peter is right. They helped people, and they couldn't stand by if innocent lives were at risk. They had to at least see if the distress signal was real.

And if it was a trap, well, they had defeated Thanos after all, and it's not like the rest of the team were helpless without her. Hardly. She just knew she'd feel better if she was there, fighting alongside them, instead of being stuck back on the ship and waiting for their return.

She hates feeling useless, more than anything else.

"'Mora," Peter says gently, tone growing more serious at seeing how upset she is, quickly realizing his jokes would be ill-placed here, "I'd rather have you with us too, but that's just not possible right now. And come on, I know you're worried, but we'll be okay."

"You'd better be," Gamora huffs, turning away from him, but there's no heat to her words. "You have a family who needs you, Peter."

She's not just talking about the Guardians, as much as they all consider their little rag-tag team a family, after all this time together. Surviving the end of the world also brings people closer together, and it's been especially true for them since Thanos and the snap and the Soul Stone happened.

He gives her a knowing look, reaching over to cup her cheek gently and turn her face back to look directly at him. "Trust me, I know that, Gamora. And I swear to you I'll be careful."

She holds his gaze, searching his eyes carefully, before taking one of his hands and placing it along the side of her rounded stomach, to remind him of what he's fighting to come back to. "Good."

His expression falters at the fluttering movements under his hand as the baby kicks, and his eyes grow a little misty. "Gamora, that's so—so amazing."

Even after all of the times he's felt their child kick, Peter is still awed by it every time, and Gamora's heart twists when she sees his reaction. She didn't think it was possible, but going on this adventure with him—albeit a very unexpected, unplanned adventure—had made her fall even more in love with him.

It was no secret that the same had happened for him, from the way he's looking at her now.

He gives her a watery smile as the movements continue beneath his hand. "Wow, this little guy's really gotten active, huh?"

Gamora smiles back at him, giving a small nod. "It's pretty much all of the time, now."

Peter's expression suddenly grows a little more worried. "Wait, is that good? What does that mean?"

"Peter, relax," Gamora removes his hand from her stomach, squeezing his fingers. "It's fine. Just means that we're close. The baby could come any time now, but you know that."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," he nods, looking a little overwhelmed at that prospect. Being parents had never been in the cards for them, something they'd never even considered, something they hadn't even thought was possible...but the universe had had other plans for them.

"It's just so crazy," he murmurs, still looking a little anxious, but mostly content at that. He'd been excited—while simultaneously being terrified—ever since the moment Gamora had told him the news. He'd been calmer than her, however, had been the one to reassure her that they could do this, that they could actually raise a kid together and that maybe everything would turn out okay. He's still the one reassuring her, even now.

Gamora hopes that he's right.

He sighs, shaking his head in disbelief. "Here we are, about to be somebody's freaking parents. I never would've believed someone if they'd told me that this is where we'd eventually end up."

Considering the dangerous, impractical life they currently lead, and the nightmare childhoods they'd both had, this is the last thing either of them had ever planned on. At least Peter has memories of his mother, so strong they've helped shape him into the person he is today. All Gamora can remember is the destruction of her planet, and being ripped from her mother's arms.

"Neither would I," she replies quietly, searching his face, trying to calm the fear and anxiety that have almost constantly plagued her since she'd realized she was pregnant. She was raised to be a killer, not a mother, and she has little to no memories of her own mother to even go by. She doesn't know how or even if she can raise this baby, but she hopes against all hope that she can be the person it needs, the mother it deserves...even with her dark past.

She swallows thickly, holding Peter's gaze steadily, her voice barely more than a whisper. "...Are we actually ready for this?"

Peter nods firmly at her, seeing how worried she is and automatically pulling her closer to him. "Gamora, I said this before, and I meant it...we can do this. Yeah, sure, we might not have a clue what we're doing some of the time—alright maybe most of the time—but we already love this kid, okay? I mean it's definitely gonna be better than our shitty childhoods were, and we'll do everything to make sure it's cared for and safe and loved. And that's gotta count for something, right?"

Gamora exhales heavily at his words, managing a small smile. Even when she's feeling lost and overwhelmed (and lately even hormonal) Peter has been there, constantly reassuring her that they can handle this, even if he isn't entirely sure of that himself—and she's so grateful for that.

Together, she thinks, they've always been unstoppable—they helped defeat Thanos and save the universe after all, so this should be nothing—and this is just one more thing, although possibly the most important thing, that they can succeed at as a team.

Now, Gamora supposes, that the time is almost here, she wonders if this is how they were always supposed to end up.

"Right," she sighs, giving him a small smile. "Well, ready or not, this baby will be here soon."

"Which is exactly why," Peter exhales heavily, giving her an apologetic look now, "you can't come with us, Gamora. I'm sorry."

She knows, she knows that she can't, but that doesn't stop her from worrying anyways. Her smile falls. "I'm well aware of that, but that doesn't mean I can't be concerned that you are all walking in blindly."

"Gamora, we'll be fine," he reassures her again, squeezing her hand back. "The biggest and baddest thing that was out there was Thanos and the Black Order, and they're all gone now. It's probably just a ship having technical difficulties, or ran into a freak meteor storm, or something. I mean, yeah, I hate the idea of going near The Sovereign again, but they haven't come after us in years. Not to mention, we literally just helped save the entire universe, less than two years ago, and everybody knows that. The Sovereign aren't coming after us again, and anybody else that tries knows we defeated Thanos. Come on, we've got this."

Gamora still isn't convinced, even though everything he's saying is true. "I still don't like it, Peter. Just promise me you'll be careful, and you won't take any unnecessary chances."

The very thought of losing Peter, and their child having to grow up without him, nearly takes her breath away. She quickly pushes that fear back down, because she doesn't want him to be anymore distracted than he already his, because she knows he already feels guilty about leaving her behind on this mission.

He leans in and kisses her gently, before pulling back and giving her a reassuring smile. "I promise I'll come back to you in one piece, okay?"

She sighs heavily in assent, before nodding slowly. "...Okay."

"Besides," Peter shrugs, breaking into a wry grin, "what's the worst that could happen?"

As it turns out...a lot.