This one takes place almost instantly after the last chapter. No time skip this time.

This was supposed to be short but once I began the words just continued pouring forth and my typing fingers just kept moving. I also thought about waiting a week or two to post but I just can't write it then not post.

I also promise you most chapters will not be so dark and self-hate filled as this one. Despite Gamora being all tough and strong on the outside I firmly believe that deep down she is deeply emotionally scarred and her relationship with Peter is bringing it out into the light.

What better way to slay the darkness of the soul then to drag it kicking and screaming into the light?

Enjoy

Gamora was no coward. Far from it, she always faced her enemies and problems with a steadfast determination befitting the deadliest woman in the galaxy.

Once again having Peter involved changed her to a completely new person.

The female assassin ran and ran. Completely oblivious to where she was going. All she could think about was that look in Peter's eyes when he saw her slaughter those thugs. He had to know now the truth of who she was now. The terran had seen her kill before but never like that.

He had to have seen the near perverse glee she felt when she massacred them.

With every step her mind howled at her.

Murderer.

Butcher.

Killer.

It was as if being with Peter these weeks had held all her bad thoughts and regrets at bay, but now with him gone the flood gates had been opened. It all came pouring back in an endless tidal wave of pain, sorrow, and regret. Gamora was being smothered in all the anguish.

He doesn't want you.

That thought hit far harder than any of the others. The idea alone was like a heavy blow to the stomach.

Who would want a cold hearted assassin?

Gamora was almost hyperventilating as she ran. Her own mind was tearing her apart.

The Zehoberi woman did not even notice as she ran up the loading ramp into the Milano. Neither did she notice the concerned looks of Denarian Dey and Groot as she ran by them.

"I am Groot!" Groot called for her but she did not even so much as look at them. The man and sentient tree easily would have noticed her still covered in blood.

Some part of Gamora wanted to tell them that the others were fine and would likely be back soon but that part of her mind was small. So infinitesimally small that it did not even register to Gamora. The screams in her mind would not let up enough to even speak.

Gamora did not even realize where she was going as she entered the Milano's bathroom. Locking the door behind her, Gamora collapsed against the sink. Her hands on the appliance the only thing keeping her standing.

Looking up her eyes found the room's mirror. The reflection she found horrified her. Gamora's entire face, front, as well as her arms were still covered with drying but still fresh blood like some kind of sadistic war paint. It was soaking into her skin and clothes. The sight of this much blood normally would not disturb her, not since her betrayal of Ronan.

A lot had changed since that day.

This is who you are.

Nothing but a weapon.

Nothing but a ruthless killer.

Gamora's entire form trembled as she tore her eyes from the mirror. She wanted so badly for the thoughts to stop but they simply would not. They continued to rail against the walls of her mind as if they were some caged animal. Primal and ferocious.

Peter has seen just how much of a monster you are.

He is afraid of you.

He hates you now monster.

Peter is never going to want to even look at you ever again.

That last thought felt like an actual punch to Gamora's stomach. She let out a soft gasp as her legs buckled beneath her. She would have fallen to the floor if she had not landed on the closed toilet seat instead.

Even if Peter was afraid of her, even if he hated her, the thought of him never speaking to her ever again terrified her more than anything. Gamora had never truly valued much in her life, not even her own life. Now though she valued Peter more than anything, except now she had probably lost him forever.

The assassin held her head in her hands as her whole body shook with barely contained sobs.

She would not cry.

There was a soft knock on the locked door but Gamora's mind was so far gone that she did not even notice it. The person on the other side knocked several more times but still Gamora was deaf to it.

It was not until the door slid open and soft but firm steps entered the room that Gamora dared look up. She instantly regretted the action.

Standing before her was one Peter Quill.

He had obviously been cleaned up, the crimson blood was wiped away making him look much less injured than Gamora had thought. His familiar red coat was gone leaving him in one of his clean plain grey shirts.

The Zehoberi woman instantly looked away from him, unable to bear the words she knew were coming or the sight of his eyes.

I want you off my ship butcher.

Get out of my life and stay gone.

I hope you rot in hell for what you've done.

Gamora waited for the words to come that matched her thoughts but none came. Instead Peter was dead quiet. She heard the door shut and lock again followed by the sound of a cabinet door opening and closing.

Was he getting a hidden weapon out to kill her with? If Peter was her executioner Gamora would not fight back, she could not. It was only right that the only person that she had ever truly cared for would be the one to do it.

The assassin waited for the death blow to come but again she was only met with confusion when she heard the sound of the sink running.

Next thing she knew Peter was kneeling beside her. He gently took her arm in his hands.

This was it. He was going to inject her with some kind of poison and she would finally pay for the innocents she had slain in cold blood over the years.

Instead of an injection she felt a cool moisture on the skin of her arm. Now completely baffled Gamora looked down to see what Peter was doing. The terran held not a needle or weapon of any kind. Instead he held a small wet cloth that he was currently using to clean the blood from her arm.

Gamora was at an even more loss for words than she was before. He knew now what kind of monster she was yet here he was washing her like nothing at all was different. Peter did not seem perturbed at all by the fact that it was blood she was covered in.

Was Peter rendered blind by his abductors? Maybe he could not tell it was blood that she was covered head to toe in. That was imposable, he had seen her fight, seen where it came from.

Still not saying a word, Peter let go of her arm moving to the other and repeating the process. Once her arms were cleansed her stood up and rinsed the cloth out in the sink before returning. Next he moved up her body sliding the wet cloth over her neck cleaning it as well. When finished there he moved further up and very, very gently swiped it across her face much slower.

His eyes never once found hers, he seemed focused on his task at hand. Something Gamora was not sure if it was making her suffer or if she was grateful for it.

Soon Peter was finished, tossing the cloth into the sink he stood up and moved over to a small bundle Gamora had not noticed on the edge of the counter. The former ravager lifted up the bundle and proceeded back over to her.

It was not until he held the bundle out for to her that she realized what it was. It was a clean change of clothes.

Gamora knew the blood was soaked into her current clothes but why he would care that she was dressed in clean clothes was not something Gamora understood.

Gamora did not even comprehend that she had taken the bundle until a few moments after she did. Peter stepped back and turned around covering his eyes with hands making sure he was facing away from the mirror.

He just wants you to be in unsullied clothes before throwing you out.

Gamora was slightly relieved that he would think of that before kicking her off the ship. It did nothing to ease the pain in her chest but at least he was still thinking of her enough to wash and clean her body.

Gamora slowly stood and removed her shirt, her eyes boring into Peter's back. The terran man never once moved or made an attempt to look at her as she dressed. It was so endearing that it made the pain in Gamora's chest even worse. She was about to lose him and he still did things like this.

Once finished, Gamora sat back down but was still unable to speak. She tapped lightly on the nearby countertop with her hands silently hoping Peter understood the signal.

She dreaded the next moments more than anything.

Turning around Peter came back over to her and again kneeled down in front of her. This time he looked straight at her. Gamora however was unable to meet his gaze for even a fraction of a second.

The cybernetically upgraded assassin caught the sound that was Peter taking in a breath to speak.

It was time.

"You okay Gamora?"

Never once in all her life was Gamora as confounded as she was right this moment. Of all the things that Peter could have asked, could have said, she was expecting... in fact the possibility of that question had never even entered her mind.

Peter's eyes were now roaming her body as his hands slowly slid down her bare arms. His stare held nothing sexual, it was as if he was searching for injuries.

"Doesn't look like you're hurt, none of that blood was yours. Gamora what's wrong?"

How could Peter be so oblivious? She was a monster and a murderer. He should not be worrying about her, asking about her safety, or trying to help her.

He should be pushing her away. He should be looking out for himself, but he was not. Peter was more concerned for her than he was himself. Just like when he saved her life just outside Knowhere.

His caring attitude was the final blow to the cracking walls around herself. They finally crumbled as the first tear fell down her cheek.

"Gamora... It's going to be okay."

That was it. Before Gamora could stop herself she flung herself at Peter wrapping her arms around his middle and squeezing tightly. Her mind was so clouded that she had not realized she could hurt him with her cybernetic strength. If Peter felt any pain he did not show it. The terran simply wrapped his arms tightly around her pulling her flush against him holding her even tighter than she did him.

The tears were falling rapidly now. Gamora had no strength left with which to fight back against them. So she just let them fall.

The last Zehoberi buried her face into Peter's shirt in an attempt to muffle her sobs. Before long Gamora could feel Peter's hand on her back rubbing soft soothing circles through her shirt. Peter's own shirt was swiftly drenched in the salty moisture of Gamora's tears.

"Shhh, it's alright. Just let it all out Gamora. I got you." Peter whispered softly in her ear.

Here in Peter's embrace Gamora's mind finally went silent. The thoughts stopped tormenting her allowing her to focus on the man holding her. She never wanted to let him go ever again.

Gamora slowly started to calm down. The tears eased up and her sobs quieted down. Trough the whole experience Peter's hold never relented.

Taking several deep breaths Gamora tried to muster enough of her voice to speak. "P...Peter..."

He pulled away just enough to be able to look into her eyes before bringing a single finger to her lips to silence her. It was a testament to how much Peter meant to her that she did not cut that finger off.

Nevertheless she stayed quiet.

"You ain't gotta say a word babe. We're going to sit right here until you're feeling better." Peter's face lit up in one of those cheeky smiles that made Gamora's heart melt in her chest.

Gamora barely heard what he said. He mind had latched on to a single word he spoke.

Babe.

Gamora knew that it was an often used term of endearment, one that she was sure Peter had used many before they even met. This one was special though.

It was the first time he used it towards her.

Despite being more than a month into their relationship the pair had yet to call each other by anything except their actual names. Gamora had recently learned that it was something couples do but she did not know what to call Peter, so she just did not call him anything.

Despite Peter's new name for her being an overused and common one, Gamora found that she was not adverse to it. Only since it was coming from Peter's lips.

Gamora was still dumbstruck though. If he was going to throw her out why was he calling her such an affectionate name?

A tiny part of Gamora hoped beyond hope that he still cared for her. That he would not just leave her all alone again. Gamora never wanted to be alone ever again.

Finally Gamora spoke what had been eating at her since Peter had come into the room with her. "Peter why are you here?"

Peter looked at her curiously as if wondering why she asked such a stupid question. "Because you're my girlfriend and you're upset and I needed to see that you were okay?" He said the words slowly like he was speaking to an infant, making it sound like an unsure question more than anything. "I didn't think that would be bad."

Gamora was speechless. He had seen her lose control and was not even mentioning it. If anything he was pretending it had never happened.

That fear she saw during his rescue was still in his eyes though. Yet he was here, cleansing her, comforting her, and being so all around kind.

"Then why do you look so scared of me..."

There it was, Gamora had finally spoke the words that were tearing her insides apart. Within seconds she wished she had not spoken the words. The look on Peter's face was so shocked that you would think she had pulled a knife on him again.

"Scared? Yeah sorta..."

Gamora's heart sank as the terran spoke. Each word was like a bullet piercing her heart. She wished it was bullets, they would hurt far less.

"But of you? Feh, hell no."

Gamora's eyes shot up towards his own gaze again. Did he just say...

"Wait a sec... you thought I was scared of you?" If his countenance was any clue it was now Peter's turn to be mentally floored. "Why on earth would I be scared of you?"

"Because I'm a monster and a killer..." The words were flowing forth from Gamora's lips before she could even stop them. "I've killed more than I can count... you saw me when I killed those men who took you." Gamora had looked away again unable to meet his eyes.

"Gamora." Peter's one word was firm.

With a single arm around her waist, Peter pulled Gamora's body against his own again. His other hand slowly ran up her back to her hair. Next she felt him running his fingers slowly through the dark tresses. The gesture was so soothing that Gamora let out a calming breath before even realizing she was doing so.

"Now you listen to me," Peter's tone was still firm yet still gentle. Gamora simply nodded in response.

"I get the crap kicked outta me and you know what I wake up and see? My Gamora kicking total ass to save my worthless hide."

It was not lost on Gamora the way he called her his. He must have been having similar thoughts to her.

She found she loved the way he called her his Gamora.

"That's not all I see when I wake up. You're there but something is wrong. You weren't watching your back at all. You were pure blind rage and fury. I saw you covered in blood but I couldn't tell if any was yours..." Gamora listened intently to every word. "My vision was so blurred I couldn't tell if you were badly hurt or just kicked that much ass."

Gamora almost could not believe what he was saying. He was worried about her. His next sentence was the great clincher.

"So yeah I was scared, I was scared you were badly hurt and I couldn't even get up to help you."

Now Peter was looking away, from embarrassment or something else Gamora was not sure. The Zehoberi woman herself looked at Peter as if he had just sprouted several more heads.

He was not afraid of her.

He was afraid for her.

He was afraid for her.

Gamora found herself at the greatest loss of words in her life when she became aware of something else.

When she saw Peter was awake she had ran. Peter must have been almost frantic trying to find her.

Gamora found herself feeling bad still but for a completely different reason.

"Peter..." Gamora's voice was again quiet and soft. Reaching up she took both Peter's cheeks in her hands and pulled him down closer to her so that their foreheads were touching. The outlaw's own hands rested on top of hers.

Taking a breath Gamora spoke. "Peter... I'm so sorry for running away..."

Peter smiled as he leaned into her slightly and speaking just as softly. "Don't worry about it, I'm okay, you're okay. We're okay. I think I understand what happened, just remember I'm not going anywhere."

With Gamora looking straight into his eyes he finished. "Until you say otherwise you're stuck with me."

Their close nearness had Gamora breathing much deeper. Their lips were barely inches apart. It would be so easy to close the gap and press her green lips against his pink ones. Peter again made her want to do something she had never done in her life.

She wanted to kiss Peter.

She wanted to badly.

She did not even know why.

Before she could say or do anything Peter was standing up, pulling her with him keeping her in close proximity.

He planted a kiss on her forehead then flashed another of those dazzling smiles. "Why don't we say screw off to the rest of the day and go catch up on some afternoon cuddling?"

Peter did not even bother waiting for an answer as he took her hand in his and pulled her to the door. Gamora followed without a word as Peter practically kicked the door open.

If he would have looked behind him he would have seen the colossal smile on Gamora's face. The kind that only Peter could bring out of her.

This cuddling, as Peter called it, had become one of her favorite things in the galaxy.

Second only to her star lord.

Gamora did not even have a second thought in her mind when she thought of him as hers.

Here we go everyone. First of all I would like to thank everyone for their well wishes. It really does mean a lot.

Secondly, the next chapter is, yes you guessed it, their first date. Now for this I badly need help. Despite being a 21 year old guy I have hardly no dating experience so some ideas for them would be much appreciated. All I know is that cotton candy will be involved somehow.