Thanks for all the love! Extra thanks to MewWinx96, Rachel01160, and kaylee2019 for your reviews last chapter (and well every chapter really!). This one's for you guys!

More Peter H/C (of course) and forgive my blatant misuse of Marvel medical technology...just pretend okay?

Hope this cures some quarantine boredom. Stay safe!

Chapter 21 Summary:

"Gamora...if I...if I don't make it…"

"No," Gamora cuts him off fiercely, "no, Peter, you're not going anywhere."

She swallows thickly, desperately pushing down her fears that he might be right.

For one of the only times in her life...Gamora doesn't know what to do.

There's no plan for this, no way for her to go rescue Peter and the others—again—when she's already in trouble herself.

Her contractions are growing closer together, and Gamora knows if she tries to go back to the High Councilman's ship now to help the others...it probably won't end well, for any of them. She's far from fighting capable right now.

But, she's also not thinking entirely rationally right now either, so she has to try. She has to do something.

"I'm going back for them," she tells Mantis and Zyla, throwing the useless comm unit across the dashboard. Despite multiple attempts, it's clear that something has happened that has destroyed Nebula's comm link as well. She starts to head towards the escape pod they'd already stolen from the other ship.

Mantis' eyes grow wide with fear. "No, Gamora, you can't!"

And logically Gamora knows that, but she can't just sit by while she doesn't know what's happening to the others while they face down those monsters.

"If we do nothing, then the others might not make it back," Gamora tries to reason. "We can't just leave them there!"

"Gamora, please don't go," Zyla pleads with her then, eyes brimming with tears. "Please!"

The little girl's impassioned pleas tug at Gamora's heart, and she gives her a sad smile, hoping the child will understand. "I'm sorry, Zyla, I have to…"

The rest of whatever she was going to say is cut off as a particularly strong contraction nearly drops her to her knees, a reminder of why she really can't go back for the others now...even as much as that kills her.

Luckily, Mantis is right there at her side, and grabs onto her arm to steady her before she collapses to the floor.

"Gamora, sit down," Mantis says firmly, and Gamora sighs as she sits back down in Peter's captain's chair.

It takes her only a fleeting moment to realize exactly why she sat down so easily without putting up a fight. "Mantis, did you use your powers on me?"

Mantis manages to look chagrined. "I'm sorry, Gamora, but you are giving me no choice."

Gamora feels her anger rising, feeling betrayed, even though she knows deep down that Mantis is just trying to protect her and the baby. "Mantis, stop it right now!"

Although she rarely lets Mantis touch her, she's gotten more lax about it over the years, trusting her as a part of their family. It also helps that Mantis has gained better control of her powers, and she never uses them on the other Guardians unless they ask for it...or unless she has to, to protect them from themselves or others.

Just like she's doing right now.

"Forgive me, Gamora," Mantis says softly. "But you must stay calm."

Gamora realizes belatedly that Mantis is still touching her. "Mantis, no!"

"Rest," Mantis says sadly, but firmly, knowing that although Gamora might hate her for it, she's just trying to keep her and the baby out of harm's way.

Gamora feels the calming feelings flooding through her, and although she's not quite asleep, her eyelids flutter shut as her body relaxes at the command.

Gamora doesn't know how long it is later, losing track of time as she flutters between awake and asleep, but suddenly she's awakened when she hears Mantis yell out in excitement.

"It's them! They are back!"

And then Gamora hears the docking bay of the Benatar open, and she realizes that they made it. The Guardians have finally made it home.

Her eyes fly open, and she looks up at Mantis standing nearby, hugging Zyla in relief.

"Mantis, help me up," Gamora demands through gritted teeth, sitting up at the edge of the chair. Between her increasing labor pains and whatever Mantis had just done to her, she doesn't trust herself to get up without collapsing to the floor.

But that's not going to stop her right now...because they were back. The Guardians and Nebula were finally back, free from the High Councilman's ship, and she needed to see Peter, needed to see for herself that he was still alive, to see how bad his injuries really were with her own eyes.

"Gamora," Mantis looks hesitant, and maybe a little afraid, "you should still rest. The baby is almost here. Let us help Peter…"

"It wasn't a request," Gamora replies sharply, because regardless of how close her contractions were now, nothing was going to keep her from Peter.

Seeing Mantis still looking unsure, she sighs and tries a gentler tone. "Mantis, please. I need to see him."

"It's okay, Mantis," Zyla adds softly, squeezing her hand. "Gamora is strong."

And Mantis finally relents. She reaches down and helps Gamora up to her feet, letting Gamora lean against her.

"Zyla, go check on the other children," Gamora commands her gently, and luckily Zyla understands, giving a quick nod before she runs to the other end of the ship where the other Sovereign children are gathered together. No need for her to see Peter like this, she's seen enough for one day.

Gamora and Mantis slowly make their way to the loading dock of the ship, where the Guardians have just landed with the other escape pod. They can clearly hear the clangs and noise from the loading bay door opening, and several voices as the Guardians hurry to make their way inside the main hold of the Benatar. Gamora slowly disentangles herself from Mantis, determined to stand on her own, and gives her a small nod that she's okay, steadying herself on her feet. Mantis smiles stiffly and steps back to give her a little space.

Rocket comes rushing into the room first, yelling at the others behind him to hurry up. He skids to a dead stop when he lays eyes on Gamora, with Mantis hovering a few feet behind her.

"Gamora, what are ya doin'?" he asks in utter surprise. "I thought you'd be havin' that kid by now."

"Soon," Gamora gives him a grim smile, before quickly changing the subject. "How's Peter?"

"Look, Gamora, why don't you let us handle this," Rocket answers hesitantly, and Gamora immediately fears the worst. Before he can even explain further, Groot comes running in, also looking suprised to see Gamora standing there as he comes into the room.

"I am Groot?"

But she ignores him, starting to feel panic wash over her, because she still hasn't laid eyes on Peter.

Drax comes in next, a solemn look on his face, but looking less suprised than the others that Gamora is standing there waiting for them. He gives her a stiff head nod. "Gamora."

"Where's Peter?" Gamora demands at them again, and she doesn't bother to hide the edges of hysteria in her voice, emotions tense from the last few hours of turmoil.

They were too late. Peter was hurt too badly, he hadn't made it...

She cries out then as another strong pain grips her, but manages to remain upright and waves the others away when they all simultaneously move to help her, refusing their help. Her voice rises with both panic and anger when she asks again. "No, I'm fine! Where is he?!"

"Right here," Nebula's voice rings out then, and Gamora can barely breathe as she snaps her head back towards the doorway and takes in the sight.

Peter is hanging in Nebula's grip, one arm slung over her shoulder as she holds onto him around the waist. Despite his frame being bigger than hers, Nebula is as strong as Gamora and she maneuvers his dead weight without a struggle. He's covered in blood and his shirt and jacket are completely tattered. He's hanging limply in Nebula's grasp, clearly unable to stand on his own, and at first Gamora can't tell if he's even conscious.

But then he slowly picks up his head, blinking blearily as the main room comes into view, and he stops when he finally finds Gamora standing across from him.

"...G'mora?" he rasps, voice simultaneously full of pain and relief.

He's alive. Badly injured, that much is obvious, as she subconsciously assesses his condition, but he's alive, and he's finally home.

"Peter," she chokes out in response, moving more quickly across the room than she should, but the others don't dare try to help her again. It feels like an eternity for her to cross the room...but then she's finally at his side.

She cups his face gently, blinking back tears as she tilts his head up to look at her. Peter gives an exhausted, pained sigh, eyes fluttering closed as he leans his head heavily into her hands, as if he doesn't even have the strength to hold it upright.

He probably doesn't.

But he's here, and he's alive, and they're going to keep him that way.

"We need to get him to your medbay, now," Nebula interrupts then, and Gamora nods quickly in agreement.

She plants a quick kiss on his forehead—trying to ignore how unnaturally cool and clammy his skin is—before she steps out of the way, giving orders to the rest of her team. "Hurry, take him there. Rocket, set course for Xandar now."

"Already on it!" Rocket answers as he rushes away towards the cockpit.

"You should also be in the medbay," Nebula calls knowingly over her shoulder as she hurries away with Peter towards the medbay. Peter doesn't say anything, and Gamora wonders if he's already lost consciousness again.

"I'm fine," she retorts back to Nebula, sucking in a deep breath as another contraction hits, effectively cutting off the rest of her reply. She breathes in deeply through her nose, and after a moment makes to move again and join the others in the medbay with Peter.

She is suprised to see Drax still there, waiting for her, and he gives her a warm smile as he offers her his broad arm for support. This time, she accepts, grateful for his help.

"Thank you," she exhales in exhaustion.

"You don't need to thank me," Drax says matter-of-factly as he escorts her to the medbay. "And you also don't need to pretend that you are alright. Just because you are a fearsome warrior, Gamora, doesn't mean that you aren't allowed to have moments of vulnerability. The miracle of childbirth is both painful and beautiful, and perhaps the most terrifying thing there is."

It's one of the most profound things Drax has ever said to her, and she whips her head around in surprise to look at him as he helps her down the hallway. But really, she thinks, maybe she shouldn't be so suprised at those words coming from Drax, of anyone. He had been a father, after all, and he had gone through this very experience with his wife years ago. He understood what she—and Peter, were he more than semi-conscious—were going through right now, more than anyone else on the team could.

Gamora gives him a grateful smile. "I...thank you, Drax. Really."

"Of course," Drax nods as they approach the medbay doors. "Although, I still believe you could have given birth during the enemy confrontation, as a true warrior would have done…"

Gamora groans loudly to cut him off, because of course he had to ruin a good moment with that, but then her attention turns completely to Peter as she enters the medbay.

He's laid out on the metal table now, still and unmoving except for the labored rise and fall of his chest. Mantis is hovering protectively at the end of the table by his head as Groot and Nebula tear the room apart for supplies to treat him with.

"Peter," Gamora breathes, coming into the medbay with Drax at her heels. She stumbles over to the table and takes his cold hand in her own, squeezing tightly. "Peter, can you hear me?"

Peter's eyelids flutter and a pained moan escapes his lips, but otherwise he doesn't respond. He's barely holding onto the edges of consciousness.

She finally takes in the extent of his injuries, and her heart sinks as she notices the large wound—now cauterized, but still angry and painful looking—and at the amount of blood he's obviously already lost.

And there's no way to know how bad his internal injuries are until they get the med scanner out, and even less ways to treat them until they get to Xandar. All the cauterization had done was stop any further external bleeding, but that wouldn't be enough to address his internal injuries.

She draws in a shaky breath, determined not to give up hope yet, not when they've made it this far. "Peter?" she tries again, but still no response other than a pained moan.

"Mantis," Nebula says sharply across the room as she digs through another drawer, "keep him awake."

Mantis nods, brows furrowed in worry and concentration as she gently places her hands on either side of his head. "Wake."

Peter's eyes open with a start, and he tries to sit up before awareness comes roaring fully back to him, but Gamora and Drax gently push him back down to the table.

Peter coughs roughly, screwing his eyes tightly shut in pain as it aggravates his wound. "Ah, ah, fuck...what…wait…wh're am I?"

"Peter, it's okay, it's me," Gamora tries to reassure him, squeezing his hand again, and he weakly squeezes it back as he slowly realizes it's her, slowly realizes where he is. "You're safe now, and we're going to get you to Xandar."

Peter opens his eyes again, and even though his gaze is unfocused and confused, he finally manages to find her face as she leans over him. Even with as badly injured as he is, he gives her an exhausted smile as he finally realizes she's right there with him.

"Hey…beaut'ful…"

Gamora chokes out a laugh through her tears, because even half-delirious and nearly dying, that response is just so undeniably Peter that Gamora can't help but smile. "Hey yourself."

Then her smile falls, and she leans closer to his face, planting a gentle kiss against his lips, and she tries not to panic when she can taste blood there.

Definitely internal bleeding then.

"You just need to stay with me, a little bit longer," she whispers fiercely to him, running a hand gently across his forehead. "We'll be to Xandar soon, you just need to hang on."

Peter swallows thickly, blinking up at her as he tries to keep his eyes open. His voice is pained, remorseful. "Gamora...you know...you kn'w this isn't...this 'sn't good."

She knows he's referring to how badly he's hurt, because it's obvious to all of them, but she shakes her head vehemently. "No, you're going to be fine."

She can't accept anything else.

Peter hums noncommittally but his eyes are closing again, and he's already swiftly slipping from consciousness.

"Mantis," Gamora looks at her, trying to hide the panic in her tone. The longer they can keep him conscious and talking, the better...or they might really lose him.

Mantis nods in determination, placing her hands on his head again as her antennae light up. "Wake."

Peter groans in pain as he comes back to consciousness again, shifting on the table and clenching his jaw against the pain, before he manages to open his eyes again. He opens his mouth as if he's about to say something...but another powerful contraction hits Gamora right at that exact moment, and she can't stifle a surprise cry of pain as she sags against the table, subconsciously squeezing Peter's hand as she rides it out.

And then Peter suddenly remembers what's going on. In all the chaos and his slipping in and out of consciousness, he hadn't had a chance to remember what Rocket had told him, thinking less than clearly with the amount of pain and blood loss he's been suffering through, just trying to stay alive.

But it's clear he remembers now.

"Gamora...oh God, the baby...th' baby's com'ng...now?!" His eyes grow wide with panic, and he weakly tries to sit up again, struggling against Drax's hold as he pushes him back down.

"Quill! Do not make your injuries worse!" Drax bellows at him, but Peter isn't listening, still struggling uselessly against him.

"That fool is going to kill himself!" Nebula barks as she marches back over to the table, arms full of medical supplies. "Keep him still."

The contraction is passing, and Gamora straightens back up, grabbing Peter's face and forcing his attention on her. "Peter, stop! I'm okay, so is the baby. Stop fighting!"

With a pained exhale, Peter stops struggling, but he's still looking up at her with pure panic on his face, choking out each word. "But G'mora, the baby...here?! You c'n't have the b-baby...like this!"

"Peter," Gamora tells him in her best no nonsense tone, "it will be okay. I can do this, the baby and I will be fine. I need you to trust me."

Peter blinks at her skeptically, his face twisted with both pain and fear. "Gamora…"

"We'll be okay, I promise," Gamora runs her hand gently through his hair, which is already in a disarray. "We just need you to be okay. I'm not afraid, Peter, I know I can handle this, as long as I know that you'll be okay too."

Peter nods slowly, which takes a considerable amount of effort. "Okay," he exhales shakily, still not sounding entirely convinced, "o-okay."

Gamora gives him a tearful smile, cupping his cheek again. "Everything will be okay. We both will."

She wishes she believed it as convincingly as she's saying it.

"I'm sorry," Peter whispers hoarsely, and she can see how afraid he still is—for her and their child, not himself—and her heart breaks a little at the desperate look in his eyes. "I'm s'rry...all this h'ppened," he gestures weakly at himself with one hand, and then at her.

"This isn't your fault," Gamora tells him fiercely. "This is the High Councilman's fault. No one else's."

Peter blinks sluggishly several times, and she knows how hard he's fighting to stay with her.

"Gamora...if I...if I don't make it…"

"No," Gamora cuts him off fiercely, "no, Peter, you're not going anywhere."

She swallows thickly, desperately pushing down her fears that he might be right. "We…we need you, Peter."

She doesn't think she can do this without him, raise their child alone, or keep herself from falling back into the darkness that she's been fighting since the moment Thanos took her and destroyed her from the inside out. It's been a delicate balance her whole life, to not give into the dark impulses from her violent upbringing.

Losing Peter will destroy her.

Despite her pleas, Peter's eyes are slipping closed again. "...l-love you...both…"

"Peter, no! Open your eyes!" Gamora demands, but no response.

But Mantis is already there, her hands hovering by Peter's head again. Before she touches him, she looks at Gamora, her pain-filled eyes full of tears.

"He is in so much pain, and he's very tired," Mantis tells her with a shaky exhale. "Every time I wake him, he feels farther away, I don't know how much longer…"

She trails off, a tear escaping and slipping down her cheek.

Gamora can't breathe for a moment, although she's not surprised by what Mantis is telling her, but it's certain confirmation that Peter is running out of time. She steadies herself before replying. "I know, Mantis, just do whatever you can for him. Please."

Mantis nods, squaring her shoulders in determination. "I will do my best."

With that, she places her hands on Peter's forehead again, gritting her teeth in determination. "Wake."

Peter's eyes fly open once again, but it's clear he's less and less alert every time Mantis wakes him. He blinks blearily up at Gamora, barely even having the energy to speak now. "...Tryin'...'Mora…"

She nods furiously, squeezing his hand again. "I know, Peter. Just keep trying. Keep fighting."

And it's obvious that he's doing his very best, doing everything he can to stay with her, but they are fighting a losing battle to keep him alive.

"Move," Nebula orders then briskly, and reluctantly Gamora steps back out of the way as Drax and Groot help Nebula set-up all the various medical devices she has pulled out. Mantis steps back as well, coming over to comfort Gamora.

"You've done everything you can for Peter now," Mantis says softly. "Come, Gamora, we need to take care of you and the baby now."

Despite knowing the rationale for that, knowing that Mantis is right, Gamora shakes her head vehemently. "No, I can't leave him, not now."

"Don't be a stubborn fool," Nebula tosses over her shoulder as she hooks up Peter to the universal plasma pump that she had located in one of the medbay drawers. Luckily, even Terrans could tolerate the universal plasma, and it might be enough to help Peter hang on until they reached Xandar and they could give him a proper blood transfusion.

Peter barely even stirs as Nebula plunges a needle into each of his arms, the long tubes snaking back to the plasma machine as she turns it on.

"I am Groot," Groot agrees with Nebula, frowning as he waves the med scanner over Peter and the scanner starts going haywire, beeping loudly with every serious medical concern it detects. He hands it over to Nebula, who furiously scans the results, but she doesn't look surprised. His injuries are obvious to all of them.

"Quill will be in good care with us," Drax says seriously as he picks up the laser skin graft from the pile Nebula had dumped at his feet. They are going to attempt to repair more of the damage around the site of Peter's roughly cauterized wound. He'll still likely need surgery once they make it to Dr. Dalek and his team, but this might be enough to help in the meantime.

When she doesn't answer, Drax adds, "There is nothing more you can do for him, Gamora, than we are already doing here."

And Gamora knows they're right, but still hesitates. "I can't just…"

Another contraction cuts her off, and she bites back a pained noise in her throat, stubbornly refusing Mantis' help even as she sways dangerously on her feet.

"Don't make me remove you myself," Nebula turns to fully face her now, having turned the plasma pump to the highest possible setting. "The universal plasma should keep Quill alive until Xandar, even with his pathetic Terran body."

Seeing the pained look Gamora is giving her, Nebula's stance softens slightly, in a way she only ever does towards Gamora. She sighs, her voice losing some of its bite. "Sister, you know I'm right. We have enough plasma to last us until Xandar, and that will help to keep Quill alive until we arrive. It is his best chance. You know that, just as you know you cannot jeopardize your health or your child's."

"I am Groot," Groot adds helpfully, holding up two full syringes in his wooden hand.

"Yes, and we have two of them," Drax agrees. "Should Quill's heart try to stop, we can restart it again with these vials of adrenaline!"

Gamora eyes the syringes doubtfully. Yes, the Krylor adrenaline is the best in the galaxy, and Dalek had purposefully given them two, to use in case of emergency only. It's a powerful substance, and hard to find...but also has the potential to buy extra time if one of them were ever to be badly injured.

It seems that time has now come.

"Gamora, please," Mantis breaks into her thoughts then, trying to get Gamora to agree to leave.

Gamora looks around the room, at her family staring back at her, and she finally relents. "...Okay. Okay, I'll go. Only use the adrenaline if you have to, but use it. And promise me, if something changes, if Peter takes a turn for the worse, if you think he's...if he's dying, you'll come get me, no matter what."

"We will," Nebula gives a curt nod, and Drax and Groot makes noises of agreement. "So go take care of yourself, now."

Gamora knows the threatening tone in Nebula's voice just means she cares, and she can't help but almost smile.

"Okay," she exhales heavily, and she turns to Mantis, who has somehow become the one to help her through this. They no longer need her to keep Peter awake in the meantime now that he's receiving the universal plasma, and they really don't want him to be awake when they use the laser skin graft on him.

Just as she and Mantis turn to finally leave, the intercom in the medbay beeps, and Rocket's voice comes over the line from the cockpit.

"This piece of junk is in overdrive, but we're still a ways out from Xandar! How's Quill? Gamora?"

"She's stubborn but otherwise fine, and he's alive," Nebula growls, checking the connection to the plasma machine. It is still running at the highest-setting, replenshing Peter's body with life-saving plasma. He's unconscious again, but still breathing, as the plasma does its job on his battered body.

Only time will tell if it's enough.

"Good to know that a-hole hasn't quit on us yet," Rocket snarks, but he sounds unmistakably relieved. "And to make sure he doesn't now, I've got somebody who wants to talk to ya, and Gamora too since she's about to have that kid on our galley floor."

With that, Rocket hangs up, but the holopad in the corner of the room lights up, and suddenly Dr. Dalek's face is on the screen.

At the moment, his concerned but calm yellow face is the most comforting sight Gamora has ever seen.

"Guardians," his smooth, collected tone fills the room, "Rocket has already informed me of what has happened. My team is ready here on Xandar for both Peter and Gamora's arrival. And of course, anything I can do to help the both of you now."

"Thank you, Doctor," Gamora breathes, subconsciously gripping the side of her stomach against another wave of pain. "I'm okay, Peter needs your help more."

Dalek nods on the screen, but he frowns as he looks over at the other Guardians and Peter's prone form on the table. "I see you've already hooked him up to the universal plasma machine, that was the correct move."

"And we have the Krylor adrenaline!" Drax adds helpfully.

"With the correct dosage, that can very well save his life," Dalek warns, "but use it with caution."

He spies the laser skin graft in Drax's hand. "I will have my top attending walk you through how to effectively use the graft to further heal his wound while I see to Gamora," he tells them, before asking, "now who here has the steadiest hands?"

"Me," Nebula snaps, reaching over and grabbing the laser graft from Drax before he can even blink. For once, luckily, Drax doesn't protest.

"But Doctor," Gamora interrupts with concern, "shouldn't you be the one to help Peter?"

Dalek smiles patiently at her through the screen. "Gamora, how close together are your contractions now?"

Gamora hesitates, not exactly sure. It's not like she's been really able to time them with everything else going on.

Of course, she has another strong contraction right then, leaning on Mantis for support, gritting her teeth as she answers. "They're close."

"That's precisely why I'm staying with you instead, Gamora," Dalek nods, a serious expression on his face.

"It's time."