I was awoken to the sound of a door closing. Sleep still clouded my mind as I stumbled to my feet and over to the door. From the pale light leaking in through the crack at the bottom of it, I saw a single metal plate. Cautiously I nudged it. When it didn't attack me or anything I was overtaken with curiosity.

I found it was a scoop of...something. It looked like applesauce but frankly I was afraid to try it. But I couldn't ignore the gnawing hunger in my stomach. I soon gave in and picked up the spoon, hastily shoving the substance into my mouth. It was bland, the texture was a mix of slimy and soggy which made me cringe. But there was something else there...a tang.

I groaned as my muscles spasmed, dropping me paralyzed to the floor. Once again icy fear ran through my veins. The same thoughts like 'I am going to die' repeatedly ran through my head.

"No…" I whimpered. "I can't…"

The door opened again and two figures entered. Their voices were garbled speaking unintelligible words. I knew they weren't friendly. I was soon placed in a wheelchair and rolled out of the room.

My head lolled forward and was limp, rolling in every direction with each turn. The effort to lift my head caused a painful strain on my muscles so I gave up.

Eventually we came to a stop. My hearing was still muddled from whatever I was given. Another person walked by, pausing to exchange a few words with the people near me. And then we were off again.

We entered the room that was directly ahead. I was picked up and moved on to a metal slab. The coldness made me shiver and I realized that I was regaining feeling back. I moved my head to the side and blinked a few times, and who I saw made me cry out. It was Rocket. He was in a cage, staring directly at me. Who knows how long he'd been there for. How stupid am I? I had totally forgotten about Rocket. I was never alone. He was waiting for me; worried and not able to do anything.

Weakly, I lifted a hand pointing towards him, "Rocket...I'm sorry…"

"Hey idiot," His voice was quiet, "what are you apologizing for?"

"I made you worry."

"Well this is all very touching, but we must get started." I snapped my head the other way. Fast enough that I heard it crack.

My father, or simply the man who took me in then discarded me, was standing over me. Sluggishly, still under the effect of the drug, I tried to roll off the bed I was on but was stopped. Dr. Taris-as I'll now refer to him as-had strapped me down, leather strips binded me to the table.

"What...are you going to do?" I asked.

Dr. Taris picked up a needle and flicked it a few times. "Don't think I have not noticed you spending your time with that experiment. As much as potential as it has singularly, maybe once yours and it's genes combine it'll create something truly beautiful."

I wanted to throw up at his words. "You're crazy,"

"No, just curious. Now who first?"

Rocket rattled his cage letting it out a low growl. "I knew you were a lying snake, I just didn't think you could stoop to the level of shit."

Taris turned to face Rocket saying cheerfully, "It appears you've volunteered."

"Kiss my ass you nutjob."

I watched as Taris approached Rocket's cage, the needle poised to puncture the skin. Rocket's defensive growling became louder with each step the man took.

This feeling that I couldn't–wouldn't–let anything else happen was so prominent, that I felt if it was possible for me to want it anymore the very idea of it would jump out of my brain and into reality. But maybe I could make it so nothing else would happen. As I looked back over everything seemed to be moving in slow motion.

Rocket's demeanor was crumbling, he knew what would happen and he feared for both himself and me. Taris wasn't facing me, so I couldn't see the expression he was wearing. And for myself, I was strapped down to the metal table. The effects from the drugs had almost worn off but I was still out of it. Even if my body could move without the influence of the drug, I doubted I could break the bonds.

But I needed to. My mind kept going back to the fact that the reason why Rocket was here was because of his involvement with me. If he got hurt...I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. I found myself straining break the leather. Everything was still in slow motion. I jerked my limbs up, sideways, any way to try and loosen it. But the leather wouldn't budge.

Taris was reaching to stick Rocket with the needle and that's when it happened. Rocket and I's eyes met. I knew he was accepting his fate; his hatred may be burning in his veins but he knew there was nothing he could do. Something in the 10 year-old me snapped. Rocket, who hated showing weakness or surrendering to anything or anyone was accepting defeat. I don't know why but that pissed me off. Maybe it was that that changed things. Or maybe it was just that my life took a nosedive straight to hell in a matter of days. Whatever it was, from the moment after my next blink, I became acutely aware of everything.

I smelled the salt in the tears rolling down my cheeks. Heard Rocket's heart beating erratically inside his chest. Smelled the cologne that Taris wore, masked by the stench of a thin layer of sweat on the back of his neck. I suddenly knew there were two guards patrolling the hall. One had just smoked earlier today while the other had a fish sandwich for lunch. I heard all the quiet and the noise, information was processed more quickly as I took in everything that I'd been blind to before.

Suddenly, I knew what I could do. I knew my limits better than ever, physically and mentally. I once again focused on my leather bindings. With a few jerks, I was able to do what I wasn't before; break free. Newfound strength rushed through my body and I looked at Taris. I eyed a surgical drill sitting on a table and imagined driving it repeatedly into the back of his head.

He betrayed me. Lied to me since I was able to comprehend words. He hurt someone I cared about. He deserves to be punished.

The world didn't seem to be moving slow anymore. Taris turned around in surprise when I'd escaped. A dumbfounded look was on his face and he nearly dropped the needle.

"It worked…" Taris mumbled.

"Maia!" A voice hissed. I moved my eyes to see Rocket punching his palm with a fist then pointing to Taris. He wanted me to knock him out. I nodded and grabbed something–it happened to be a tray. Taris knew what I planned to do but couldn't do anything to stop it since he lacked in the physical combat category. I jumped, hitting him in the head with the tray. Unconscious Taris crumpled to the floor.

Rocket and I stared at the man like we both couldn't believe that had just happened. I myself stood there unmoving for a few seconds, just staring down at the person I thought I knew but didn't really know at all. Once I'd collected my bearings I blurted out, "Keys...keys to open the cage…"

"Right…" Rocket said. I bent down, shuffling through Taris' garments until I came to his belt hook and found a ring of keys. I held them up in the air with success and passed them off to Rocket.

Soon enough we were both running the halls. The alarms hadn't gone off which gave me some comfort.

"Any idea where we're going?" Rocket questioned.

I looked around, trying to sense any clues. With a deep intake of breath I was hit with the smell of oil. A memory from two years ago surfaced. I was in the hangar bay and the staff was refueling the spacecraft. The oil smelled the exact same back then as it does now.

"This way." I announced continuing down the hallway.

"How'd you know where this was? I thought that bastard barely let you out of your room." Rocket questioned as we entered the hangar.

I shrugged. "I snuck out." I ran over to a relatively nice sized ship and asked, "Please tell me you know how to fly?"

Rocket snorted. "I've been a lab rat all my life and you expect me to know how to fly?"

With a sigh I said, "I guess I'll have to do it then."

A frightened expression took over Rocket's face and he ran up the ramp, finding his way to the pilot's seat. Through the glass he called down to me, "Like hell I'm letting you pilot. Now get in." I smirked at him. Being with Rocket almost made the past few days seem like a dream.

I boarded the ship and took a seat adjacent to Rocket's. "How are we going to get the hangar doors open?" I said more to myself, observing the wide metal doors that stood between them and their freedom.

"I think I know what this red button does," Rocket had a toothy grin on as he turned on the ship. It rumbled to life. The controls lit up and indeed that red button under Rocket's finger did mean something. The word MISSILE was printed in big letters splayed across the square button. "Should I push it? I'm gonna push it."

The whistling sound as the missiles left the ship startled them both. They watched as it collided with the doors, an explosion racked the foundation and a blue fire erupted before dying out quickly. In its wake a hole big enough for them to slip through had been created.

"Awesomeee!" Rocket cheered. "Now let's see what this baby can do." He placed his hands on the controls and did what he thought was right. But ended up flying us backwards.

"Nice job."

"Shut up.

Now more focused, Rocket did the opposite and the ship went forward. But we had low altitude, he tried pulling up on the handle and everything jerked up at a fast speed.

"I'm going to buckle up." I commented. I received a glare from Rocket. "Sorry, it's your first time. You're doing a great job." I said this time with no sassiness.

"Thanks." Rocket said, grateful of my support. "Alright I think I got it." Now more smoothly, we sailed forward and through the hole.

The galaxy was beautiful. Millions of stars and different colored lights blinking across a vast area. It was Rocket's first time seeing such a sight. His grip loosened on the control and he stared into the marvel before him. I smiled seeing him so dumbstruck.

I would've loved to stay in that moment, a peaceful time with someone you trusted, but faintly I heard the sounds of engines powering up. "Rocket they're coming after us. We gotta go." I hurriedly said as I shook his shoulder.

Blinking from his daze, he nodded. Rocket navigated the ship past flying asteroids and other dangers. We managed to get those crazy scientists off our trail and now in need of fuel, had landed on an unknown planet. The landing was rough, but thankfully the ship was still in good shape when we were steady on the surface. As the boarding ramp lowered we looked at ourselves. Rocket, an escaped experiment who was feeling a bit exposed and out of place. Myself, I currently wasn't sure if I was a successful experiment or a failure. But we were out of that place, we wouldn't be referred to as experiments anymore.

"We need to find clothes." I said.

Rocket seemed to become self-conscious, rubbing his back. Even if he tried to be subtle about it, I knew he was thinking he didn't want his scars out for everyone to see.

I knelt down, balancing on my toes and rocking slightly to keep from falling over. "I can carry you, no one will see them if I do."

He considered it for a second then nodded. At this time Rocket was about a bit longer than my forearm. He wasn't heavy at all, at times I had to check if he was still there. I carried Rocket like I used to carry my Terran cat I'd gotten as a present–no surprise the cat disappeared a few weeks later. You can guess what happened to it.

We exited the ship and I made sure to close the ramp to keep out any unwanted passersby. With a glance at Rocket, we decided to head to the noisiest place I could hear.

He didn't know the full extent of what happened to me. Just that the shots I was being given over the years enhanced me somehow and Taris faked me being kidnapped to try and awaken whatever they'd been giving me. It failed so they brought me to the room with Rocket. I just left out the claustrophobia and the room with the closing walls, feeling like I was going to die.

We'd arrived at a town. The people there were of a species I'd never seen before. They had long tentacles and were green-skinned. They stood on two legs and called themselves the A'askvarii. We'd landed on their planet called O'erlanii, most of it was covered in oceans so it's a good thing we landed on the mountainous part. The A'askvarii understood us, which was also good since we were a species entirely different.

"We don't have money, but we can work to repay you. Can we have clothes? And a place to stay for the night please?" I asked one of the town members.

I hadn't caught her name yet but she was kind at heart. She welcomed Rocket and I into her home and fed and clothed us. Rocket wasn't to keen about doing housework but it was the least we could do to repay them for their kindness. Besides, we should lay low. We didn't know if Taris was still looking for us or not.

Night came slowly and morning came too fast. We were now well rested and ready to continue our journey. With a farewell said to the people of O'erlanii, Rocket and I headed back to our ship.

As we were taking off I realized it was much better than the last time. "Nice job." I complemented.

"I'm getting the hang of it!" Rocket said and flew us towards the sky. "Where to?"

"Anywhere."

He huffed. "Come on pick a planet."

I threw my hands in the air. "I don't know any planets! Just fly! We'll end up where we end up."

Rocket smirked. "Wise words,"

And so with only the present in mind, the two of us flew off into the galaxy.

—

A/n I tried to do an update a day but I got too excited and posted this now. So prologue is finished!

With it finished, should I continue with young Rocket and 10 year-old Maia or do a timeskip? It'd probably be a timeskip to when Rocket and Groot were first introduced. So timeskip or no timeskip? I'd love the feedback to get a idea of where you guys want it to go, but I have an small idea of where I might take it so please don't be upset if I do something other than what you said ^~^

And thank you to Bambiexox and Cortana Hansen for reviewing!