A/N: Last chapter of May! This one's where the whump really starts


"What? No. No, that's not possible," Loki protested.

Peter smiled wryly, settled on the floor again. Mantis was next to him, Gamora tucked behind the pair, everyone's hands in plain view. Loki sat opposite them, staring, rubbing his head, struggling to comprehend the tale of the last few years.

"Well, you better believe it, buddy," Peter said. "Cause your brother's on Earth, waiting for you."

That had seemed the best angle to use, focusing on everything that had happened with Thor as an introduction to him winding up traveling the galaxy saving people with a group of ex-criminals. Gamora and Mantis hadn't stopped him, at least. Well, Gamora hadn't said anything since they realized Loki remembered nothing of her hero side.

Conflict swam in Loki's eyes, longing and logic warring inside him. "So I… I made up with Thor."

"Took a few years, but yeah, the two of you have never been closer. Emotionally, anyway," he amended, glancing at the cave containing them.

"And if he's king, then Odin is… is dead? Or retired?"

"First one. Sorry."

Loki shrugged a little. "We weren't close."

"Yeah. But you miss him."

Loki's gaze flickered away, his hands twisting together in his lap. "And what about Mother?" he asked quietly.

Peter winced. "She's… she's in Valhalla too. I'm sorry."

"No," Loki rasped, anger rearing back to the surface. "No, she can't be. You're just- this is all a set-up, Thanos is trying to mess with me-"

"Loki!" Peter interrupted, holding his hand out, trying to be calming. "Loki, I wish I was lying, I wish I was, but…"

"But what?" Loki snarled.

Peter sat back, pulling away from emotional topics to point at the bars. "We are each other's best bet at getting outta here. Which is what we all want, right?"

"Yeah, wouldn't you like that?" a new voice purred, sickly sweet.

Peter jumped up in a heartbeat, crossing the cell in two steps to plant himself in front of Loki as Beb appeared, flanked by Kutral and Erebu. Beb wore all white leather now, from the boots to the pants to the tank top. Her tail twitched behind her, matching the sadistic eagerness in her eyes as she watched Loki. Loki lifted his chin but backed up further, and Peter resisted the urge to follow, just spreading his arms as if that could fully shield Loki from Beb's view.

Gamora moved up too, as close as she dared, keeping Mantis behind her. "Don't touch him," she warned in a low growl, glowering at her "sister."

"Sweet, sentimental Gammy," she said, leaning into an iris scanner on the cell door. It clicked open, and she started to open it, but Kutral grabbed her shoulder. She now wore a shimmering silver minidress over black leggings and wedges that matched her skin, accessorized by a gaudy jeweled necklace and swaying hoop earrings.

"Is that such a good idea, Bebby?"

"If they get out, I'll punch 'em. Hard," Erebu grunted, punching her own palm for emphasis.

Beb glowered at Kutral, baring her teeth. "I will have my fun, Kutral. Back off."

Kutral grumbled but obeyed, letting Beb swing the door open. Gamora started moving towards her, but she swung one clawed finger up to point at her. "Back off, sister. You can have your fun with him another day."

"I don't wish-"

Beb lashed out, catching Gamora's cheek with one finger. Peter started forward, fists clenching, but froze, remembering Loki behind him. Gamora didn't even gasp in pain. She just reached up slowly, touching the new gash, her fingertip coming away bloody. She clenched her jaw, fire smoldering in her eyes.

With blinding speed, she socked Beb in the jaw.

Beb screeched. Tail lashing, she grabbed Gamora by the throat and slammed her back against the wall, knocking Mantis to the ground as she did so. "You will pay for that, sister."

Instinct drove Peter forward, but Kutral appeared suddenly, blocking his path to Gamora and Mantis. "You're pretty," she observed, her gaze tracing over him like a piece of art up for stealing. "We could… have our own fun," she suggested, trailing a finger along Peter's jawline.

Peter slapped her hand away. "Get out of here," he snapped.

She huffed a condescending laugh, mischief flickering in her eyes. "Deal," she murmured. "Beb! Grab your toy."

Peter's eyes widened, realizing his mistake too late. "No, no, wait-"

But Beb was already dropping Gamora, shoving past Kutral and Peter to grab Loki. Peter staggered, caught by Kutral, her hand squeezing his muscle tight. He yanked, trying to get back to Loki, but then Erebu was there, too, penning him in. Mantis was struggling to pick herself up, Gamora on her knees gasping for air – no support there, and Peter couldn't beat both women alone.

He had no choice but to stand and watch as Loki staggered after Beb, his sleeve already torn and blood leaking out from her grip.

-MCU-

Rocket stomped outside of yet another shop, slamming the door shut behind him. "Useless!" he exclaimed. "Everybody on this damn planet is useless! We have been asking around for hours, and everybody's been paid not to see a damn thing about those three."

"I am Groot!" Groot yelled, kicking at a pile of stones.

"Hey, don't kick stuff," Rocket scolded.

"I am Groot," he muttered.

"I do not suck the joy out of everything."

"We should return to the ship," Drax suggested.

"And do what?" Rocket said. "We have their communicators. It's not like we put trackers in their damn skin-"

He froze, his brain working.

"What?" Drax asked warily, patting his shoulders. "You did not-"

"No, you idiot. But Yondu did."

"I am Groot?"

Rocket took off, racing for the ship, leaving the other two with little choice but to follow. He dodged passersby and vending carts and various vermin, tearing through the city on all fours. Drax yelled behind him, calling things like "Wait up!" and "Remove yourself from my path, imbecile!" Groot stretched his legs to keep up with Rocket and step over some of the obstacles.

Finally, Rocket ran up the ramp and up the stairs to the cockpit. He slammed himself into the pilot's seat, bringing up their database. He scrolled through it with frantic paws, until he finally found the item he was looking for: Peter's translator, embedded in his neck.

Drax and Groot came up behind him, Groot doubling over when he stopped. "What are you talking about?" Drax demanded, panting.

Rocket gestured at the screen. "Peter's translator. Captors can't yank it out, cause then Quill won't understand a word they're sayin'. It emits a faint, short-range signal. It'll take some time, and I'll have to do some shopping for the more unusual parts, but once I boost our sensors, I should be able to track it."

"I am Groot!"

"I'm goin', I'm goin'!" Rocket darted towards the stairs, intending to grab some items to bargain with. He paused, looking back at Drax. "When I get back, we'll have to call Nova Prime. We're gonna need more than the three of us to take 'em on."

-MCU-

As they cuddled together again, it was easy for Gamora to feel Peter flinch when Loki's screams started. They echoed through the cave walls, muffled, but loud enough for Gamora to hear the resignation beyond the pain. She closed her eyes and suppressed a shudder, memories returning her to Thanos's torture chambers, surrounded by helpless victims letting out the same hopeless sounds.

No one escaped. Not even Gamora. Not really. Thanos's actions still haunted her, still greeted her in the eyes of former victims and enemies, of people who knew her reputation and wanted her dead or off their planet. And as much as she thanked the enhancements when they were necessary for saving Peter or the others or innocent lives, they were Thanos's doing, an inescapable remnant of what he had put her through, what he had made her do.

Sometimes, she would give anything to be rid of them.

Today was one of those days.

Peter's right arm was wrapped around Mantis, the young woman huddled against him with her hands clamped over her ears. His left arm tightened around Gamora's shoulders, and she snuggled deeper into him, laying her head on his shoulder, opening her eyes only to stare at nothing.

Loki's screams pierced their silence.

And finally, Peter broke it. "Was it… was he like this? You know… back then?"

Gamora nodded almost robotically. "They all gave up eventually. Even the strongest."

"Not you, though."

She huffed a mirthless laugh. "I did, Peter. I gave up for years. I killed, again and again and again. Only the threat to an entire planet snapped me out of it."

He pressed a gentle kiss to her hair. "And it took the threat to the entirety of Asgard to snap Loki out of his own villainy, Gam. Same with me, and Rocket, and Groot, and Drax. You're in good company."

She smiled for him, but with Loki screaming in the background, she couldn't give it any depth. It was just a facial expression. Just a feeble attempt to cheer Peter up.

They slipped back into silence, Peter burying his face in Gamora's hair. Gamora considered asking Mantis to put him to sleep, but then she would be forced to feel whatever Peter was feeling on top of her own horror. Gamora wouldn't ask her to feel that. She couldn't.

"Damn it," Peter hissed abruptly, lifting his head and dropping it back against the wall. "Damn it, damn it, damn it all."

Gamora lifted her own head, resting a hand against his chest. "Peter?"

"I promised Thor," Peter muttered viciously. "I promised I would take care of his little brother."

"Peter, you can't shield him from everything," Gamora pointed out gently, even as Loki screamed again. "He knew what he was signing up for."

"I asked him if he was ready to take on this mission," Peter said. "I asked him, and he said yes, and I knew he wasn't actually ready, but I still let him come. I should've- I should've ordered him to stay, or just knocked him out so his stubborn ass would stay put-"

"Peter!" Gamora cut him off. "You won't knock out Loki. And he wouldn't have stayed. You were betrayed by someone you've known since you were young – you couldn't have foreseen that."

"Couldn't I?" Peter asked, meeting her gaze. "None of my Ravager contacts are actually that trustworthy. And you warned me. I still missed the signs. I still kept us there. And now Loki's out there, reliving his worst nightmare, with none of the comfort of knowing his family is waiting for him."

Gamora faltered, searching for the words to counter him. She settled for pulling him down to her, placing a kiss of her own on his hair. "You did your best, and that's all anyone can ask. The next step is just getting us all out of here alive – Thor will settle for that. All right?"

Peter nodded, readjusting his grip on Mantis as he nestled against her. "Sounds like a plan. But we, ah, we still should-" Another scream sounded, this one louder than the others. "-talk."

"Or you could sing," Gamora suggested.

"They better not have hurt my Zune," he muttered, shooting a glare out the bars.

"Tony made it nearly indestructible," Gamora reassured him. "We can grab it on our way out of here. But in the meantime…?"

Peter nodded, straightening up and clearing his throat. Then, as loudly as he could in his adorably off-key voice, he belted out, "Ooga-chaka, ooga-chaka-"