The bar was loud with the cheers and chants of those inside it. The Guardians had won yet another battle and were celebrating along with the locals. Rocket, Drax and Peter were drinking heavily and yelling, as usual, Gamora and Mantis were sat together talking with a sleeping Groot sat in front of them in a glass.

Gamora had started off the night in a fairly good mood. Her happiness had soon deflated though as she watched Peter drink more and more. It wasn't the fact he was drinking that bothered her, rather that he had not said a word to her after his third drink and instead had focused on stumbling around and conversating with everyone else.

"Would you like me to get us more drinks?" asked Mantis and Gamora nodded, not removing her eyes from Peter.

As Mantis walked away, Gamora's eyes followed Peter as he leaned against the bar to talk to a woman. She studied his body language and snarled to herself at how comfortable he seemed around the woman.

"Here," said Mantis, handing Gamora her drink. She accidentally touched Gamora when she took the drink and felt a rush of emotion course through her. "You are frustrated."

Gamora's head snapped around to Mantis and she pointed her finger at her, "I told you, you're not allowed to do that."

"I'm sorry, it was accidental… though, you are frustrated."

"I am not frustrated," Gamora growled under her breath, turning back to watch Peter.

Mantis looked cautiously at Gamora's hands as they clutched tightly onto her drink.

"I also felt-"

"What?" Gamora hissed but didn't look at Mantis, "What else did you feel?"

"Jealousy," said Mantis in a small voice, cowering slightly from Gamora.

Gamora didn't respond to this. She just sipped her drink and watched Peter laugh at something the woman said.

"Are you jealous?"

Gamora sighed, closing her eyes briefly, then put her drink on the table. "I do not know…"

"I think you are."

"What do I have to be jealous about?"

It was as though Peter had heard her words then, because he leaned closer to the woman and held her arm as they laughed; that answered her question. Gamora felt herself growing hot and tense. She felt as though she was about to step onto a battlefield. Anger swirled in her stomach along with, as Mantis had called it, jealousy. She stood up suddenly, making Mantis jump, and gently picked Groot up out of the glass.

"I have to go; Groot needs to be put to bed."

"Gamora!" Mantis called after her, but Gamora was quick and had already vacated the bar. She walked briskly, cradling Groot to her chest. He continued to sleep, even nuzzled into her jacket for warmth. An Orloni ran alongside Gamora, she normally wouldn't be bothered by this but she was irritated so kicked dirt at it, threatening to kick it, and it ran away.

Once she made it back to the Milano, she tucked Groot into his bed, then entered the bathroom and turned on the shower. After they had won the battle earlier that evening, they had gone straight to the bar so Gamora had had no time to freshen herself up. She felt angry, unclean, sore and tired.

She basked in the heat of the shower, it felt soothing against her skin. Her time in the shower past by slowly, and she enjoyed every second of it. It allowed her to escape reality for a while, break free from her thoughts and just concentrate on relaxing. When she was done, she stepped out and wrapped her body up. She turned to look in the mirror, tracing the silver markings on her face and the fresh cuts.

"'Mora?"

Gamora turned around to see Peter now in the bathroom, his face slightly pink with a slanted smile.

"Was just about to have one of those," he said, and Gamora was surprised to hear he could still string a sentence together.

"You should not shower or bathe when you are so intoxicated."

"You could help me," he winked, but Gamora huffed and moved past him. "'Mora? 'Mora, hey, what's wrong?"

Peter followed her to their bedroom, where she already stood naked. She pulled on a pair of his boxer shorts and reached for a top but Peter's arms around her waist stopped her. His front pressed against her back, his shirt dampening slightly, and he kissed her bare shoulder. "What's wrong?" His nose tickled her as he nuzzled his face into her neck.

Gamora remained tense in his grip, and looked down at his arms that held onto her securely. "Nothing."

"Don't believe it. I've done something wrong or something, haven't I?"

Gamora said quietly, "Who was that person you were talking to?"

She felt Peter's head move from her shoulder and his eyes on her in the mirror they stood in front of.

"Which one?"

"The woman. The one you kept touching."

Gamora pushed his arms from her so she could put a top on, then turned to him.

"That's why you're upset? You're jealous?"

"Why do people keep saying that?" Gamora mumbled and walked past him, sitting on the edge of their bed.

"You don't need to be jealous," Peter laughed.

"Laughing will only make me madder. Do you really want to lose a limb tonight?"

Peter shook his head, his laughter dying down, but he still wore a smile, "She was just an old fling, we were just catching up."

"Fling?"

"It's a term – it's – she's a woman I used to…"

"Oh… that hasn't helped."

Gamora clutched the bedpost underneath her and looked down at her feet. She felt defeated.

"You really don't need to get jealous."

Peter kneeled in front of her, but she looked away from him.

"We were just talking and laughing, it was just nice seeing an old friend."

"Fling."

"That too… come on, why would I ever look at another woman like that when I have you?"

Gamora finally looked at him. Peter had never seen her look so upset before. She'd looked angry back in the bathroom, which he was used to, but now she looked sad and it was because of him.

"Hey," he said lovingly, and ran the back of his knuckle down her cheek. "Jealousy is normal… it's okay to feel it sometimes. But you don't need to, because I only have eyes for you." Peter wasn't sure if Gamora understood what he meant by that last part but her face had softened slightly. "I love you, not anybody else."

Gamora wiped away her own tear that had broken free from her eye and nodded. Peter kissed her forehead and rubbed his hands up and down her thighs to comfort her.

"Do you mind me sleeping in bed when I'm still so filthy?"

Gamora smiled only slightly and shook her head. Peter kissed her forehead once more then stood up, removing his trousers and shirt. Gamora lay down, watching him, she was much happier with this view of Peter. Her Peter in their bedroom instead of with another woman in a loud, uncomfortable environment.

He lay with her, his face buried in her neck, his arm over her stomach, and his leg draped over both of hers. Gamora liked when Peter lay with her like this, it was more comfortable for her than any other position and it made her feel safe. She felt protected but at the same time felt as though she was protecting him as she cradled him to her, her fingers combing through his hair and her arm over his.

When she heard his light snores, she felt the knot in her stomach coming undone; she finally felt completely calm. He was here, with her, and she couldn't be happier.