A/N: Let me start by saying I am truly sorry. Truly. I ditched this story for far too long. You all are such a wonderful bunch of readers! I can hardly believe all of the attention this thing has garnered. It's amazing! I have not had the chance to answer reviews, though I completely love and appreciate every single one of them. So I will thank you all right here! Thank you! Hopefully this chapter makes up for the long wait I've put you all through.

Disclaimer: I do not own 'Guardians of the Galaxy'. I'm just a nerdy fangirl who likes talking raccoons and dancing trees.


The landing on Marlo was a bit bumpy due to strong turbulence and mass of criss-crossed radio frequencies that streamed through the air from the multitude of incoming and outgoing ships. At the present it was rush hour and all sorts of vessels of varying sizes and shapes whizzed around them as they made their way to the ground below. Marlo was a small planetoid, composed of overcrowded cities in which many young people lived, because it was cheap and offered work that did not require extensive education or previous experience. Even though it had a president of sorts who governed over most of it, he did little and left much of the decision-making to the citizens, so there was a distinct sense of anarchy in the atmosphere. Perfect for people with such professions as Carlin to visit or stay as long as she wanted if need be without getting questioned or caught.

Carlin waited until they had passed the toll booth of the main fuel station and hangar before she got to her feet. Rocket was already starting down the ladder that led to the mouth of The Oreo below, his gun on his back.

"Listen, Rocket, leave the talking to me," the Terran told him, descending the ladder as well. "The last thing we need is for you to piss him off. I know him well enough and can hopefully reason with him, if his intentions are indeed to swipe the Kree from us."

"There is no 'hopefully', Humie. You either fucking tell him to back off or Groot and I will be forced to deal with him. I don't need your stupid permission either."

Once they had all climbed down into the haul and The Oreo was on the ground, Carlin punched the key to open the hatch and they marched with purpose down the ramp. As they rounded the parked Oreo, they finally met their captor face-to-face. Carlin halted dead when her eyes found his, and funnily enough so did he. They stared at each other for a few moments, studying the once cherished features of their love and taking in the changes that had occurred over the time that they spent apart. Carlin hated herself for finding him just as attractive as he'd been when last she saw him, perhaps even more so. His white-blond mane of bouncing, silky curls was now trimmed close to his scalp. He also sported a larger array of jewelry, including some new piercings in his pointy ears. And was it just her or had he put on some extra muscle over the course of the last year?

She was yanked from her temporary daze when he spoke, his voice smooth, rich and tinted with just a faint accent.

"Carly, you look wonderful," his emerald orbs darted from her face to both Rocket and Groot. "I see you have picked up some exotic pets."

An angry hiss sounded from Rocket, but Carlin quickly retorted.

"They're not my pets. They're my... friends. And you look more over-the-top than ever. What's with all the necklaces and bangles? And is that eyeliner?"

"Yes, do you have a problem with it?" Keri smirked, batting his long eyelashes at her.

Carlin rolled her eyes and shook her head, crossing her arms, deciding to jump right to the point.

"So, any reason you decided to drag me here? I'm not getting back together with you, you know. I mean, if that's the case-"

A string of cold laughter erupted from Keri, cutting her off mid-sentence.

"My dear Carly, though you remain as pretty as ever, I would never dream of getting back together with you. No, I'm here to take a certain Kree off your hands."

"Well, you are sadly mistaken if you think that you're just gonna waltz onto my ship and steal my booty. Who the hell do you think you are? I was sent on this mission to retrieve this convict and I have done so. You have no fucking right to fucking-"

"Hey, I'm not here to cause any trouble. I'm just following orders, okay?" said Keri, putting up his hands.

"Orders?" echoed Carlin, her tone tinged with unease. "Yeah, well, I have orders also, and they are to return the Kree to Darnek and get my units."

"Funny, mine are oddly similar." said Keri.

Carlin glowered at her former lover, her breaths becoming faster as anger built inside of her. "I should have known... That stupid bastard. Cutting me short of the full week I was given to get the job done! He just couldn't wait!"

Keri tilted his head, frowning sadly at her. "I know, it's really just so unfair. But, when you're not prompt and professional, don't expect big-time employers like Darnek to have pity or patience. The Kree is pricey. You, dear sweet Carly, are sloppy. Always have been, always will be. I must say, I can scarcely believe you've made it this far without me!"

"Really? Fuck you, Kamari. You realize that I lived just fine on my own before you ever came along?" snapped back Carlin.

"Hmm, yes, but just getting by. I showed you the ways of the trade. I got you on your feet. Do I not deserve credit?" said Keri, lifting a shapely eyebrow.

"Credit my ass!" ripped Carlin angrily at him, taking a step forward. "You may have known people, but you could never negotiate for shit! I did all the real work. Just like now! I caught this Kree, and here you are fucking stealing him from me like the rotten thief that you are! Well, I won't have it! Not this time! You will not fuck this up for me, Keri."

Keri stood staring unblinking at her for a moment, his uncaring eyes assessing her. He set his hands upon his hips and spoke again, this time his voice was level and cool, not at all yielding any sort of teasing sensuality.

"So, how shall this go down? I have you here, against your will, and you are fired from the very employer who hired me not four hours ago. Tell me, my dear Carlin, what is your plan? What will you do? Because, in my eyes, I see no alternative to this situation."

"The hell there isn't!" snarled Rocket in response. "You don't want to listen to the lady and back off? Fine! You had your chance, Prettyboy! Groot!"

At once the hulking tree man stomped forward past Rocket and Carlin with frightful speed and purpose, his eyes narrowed and shoulders bristling with sharp little branches and thorns. Keri's smug face suddenly fell slack. Before he had the slightest chance of reacting, Groot had him dangling in his merciless grasp. The wooden giant brought Keri back over to Carlin, where he held him there in front of her, one powerful hand encircling the neck of the feline-like man.

Carlin, now just a foot away from her ex, met his green slit eyes with unforgiving blue ones. His were nearly popping out of their sockets, a primal desperation burning in them as he gagged and clawed at Groot's hand for a need of air to his lungs.

"Do you see an alternative now, dearest Keri?" purred Carlin evilly, tracing a finger along his perfectly sculpted jawline.

Keri gasped, his lips turning blue. He reached his hands out for Carlin, who growled and viciously slapped them away.

"Put him down, Groot. Please." she said, crossing her arms.

Groot obeyed, and literally dropped Keri, who collapsed to the ground with a thwump! The alien man lay there, his limbs splayed out, heaving breaths of air like some sort of fish out of water. Carlin kicked him hard in the leg, whilst Rocket aimed his trusty machine blaster right at his face.

"Get up, Asshole!" barked the raccoon.

Keri looked up the huge barrel of the gun, almost cross-eyed, then began gasping and making frantic noises. He hurried and scrambled to his feet, finding it hard to balance for a few seconds. Still breathing raggedly, he brushed himself down and ran his fingers back through his blond tresses in an attempt to regain some of his former dignity, though it did about as much good as it would have if he had just remained on the ground snivelling.

He cleared his throat, pointedly ignoring Rocket and his dangerous weapon glaring at him, and addressed Carlin in a slighty hoarse voice.

"Friends indeed... I must say, it was certainly wise and beneficial on your part to hire bodyguards."

Carlin scowled at him. "Enough, Keri. You have exactly one option here: to leave the Kree on my ship. You will not touch him. You will walk away now and never come around me again. Do you understand?"

Keri looked at her in utter disbelief, although he was kept quiet by Rocket's cocked blaster and Groot's ominous presence towering behind him. Pinning his lips, Keri inclined his head at Carlin, clearly struggling with this unusual act of compliance.

"I... understand..."

"Good. Now, go." said Carlin stonily, pointing towards his ship.

Keri blinked at her, his fingers curling into fists at his sides. When he did not move, Rocket nudged him roughly with his blaster, flashing his canines.

"You heard her? Get lost!"

The cat-like man shot a loathing stare at the demanding furry creature before finally turning to head back to his vessel with his tail between his legs, so to speak. Groot did not let him go without a final goodbye as well, in which he made a threatening sound at Keri, who gave a shrill cry of fright and bolted. Carlin and Rocket both laughed, and Groot snorted after the man, as if to say "good riddance".

"Well, I think we took care of that pretty well. Nice job, boys." said Carlin.

Rocket lowered his weapon and looked up at the woman with wide eyes. "I can't believe you ever were associated with such a prissy prick."

Carlin sighed, watching as Keri unlatched his ship from hers. "Yeah, me neither..."

"Well, whatever. He's gone now and we got our Kree. That's all that matters. Come on, I'd like to leave all of this drama as far behind me as I can!" said Rocket, hoisting his gun onto his shoulder and starting towards the Oreo.

Carlin continued to watch Keri's ship ascend in the sky far above and fly away until it was out of sight in moments, an unpleasant feeling lingering in her stomach. She jumped a bit when Groot set his hand on her shoulder. She glanced upward at him.

"I am Groot." said he with warm eyes and a kind smile.

Carlin had barely begun to smile herself when suddenly there was a flash of light accompanied by a ear-shattering blast that sent her and Groot flying through the air. Carlin was screaming, the haughty face of Keri Kamari appearing in her mind just a split second before everything in her world went to black.