The remaining embers on the fire sizzled, the strong smell of burnt wood wisped around. Before Gamora even opened her eyes, she ran her fingers through Peter's hair. He was cold, to cold. Gamora still half asleep slowly opened her eyes, hunger gnawed at her stomach. She gazed at Peter for a while, the sight of his icy white skin sickening. Her fingers brushed up to his neck, feeling for a pulse. It was weak, but there.

"Peter?" Gamora tapped his face, his eyes scrunched weakly. He was in pain. Peter's dull tired eyes creaked open, the lifeless orbs just stared through her. He went to speak but only ended up wheezing.

"Shh it's ok, your going to be ok" Peter was dying and quickly. Gamora could see this, she had watched men and woman loose their life to many times before. She will never forget the look. The look of hopelessness, of death.

"Drax!" Gamora snatched up a rock not far from her and propelled it at Drax, who slept soundly on the other side of the fire. The rock stuck him in the head, he drew his blades before going into a frenzy, attacking the air around him. "Drax!" She called again, Gamora tapped Peter's face trying to keep him awake. Drax turned to her, breathing heavily. Beads of sweat had only slightly formed on his exposed torso. Drax suddenly held his breath, the look on Gamora's face terrifying. "He's fading" Gamora told him, there was a layer of pure fear under her calm voice.

"What's going on?" Rocket grumbled as he was pulled from a deep sleep. Groot still slept happily curled up in his fur.

"Rocket get the bag together, where leaving" Gamora unwillingly let go of Peter as Drax took his arms and heaved him over his shoulder, being sure not to disturb the wound to much.

"What's happening!" Rocket jumped to his feet, the fur on one side of his face flat. He grabbed Groot sitting him on his shoulder before cramming stuff back into the rucksack. Peter's lifeless face was all the reply he got. Drax spotted Gamora staring at the still tied up bounty hunter, he caught her gaze.

"You know what to do" Drax looked over at the bounty hunter.

"Rocket" Drax called, already heading into the woods.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Rocket grabbed the now repaired Walkman before following Drax into the woods. Gamora approached the struggling alien.

"Just me and you now" Gamora smiled, she steadily drew her sword enjoying the sight of her blade extending.

Rocket watched each struggling breath Peter took, just expecting him to suddenly stop, to give up. A sudden scream from behind them caused Rocket's ears to stand straight and a cold shiver to run down his spine. The pain driven scream silenced the forest. Rocket and Groot looked up at Drax, but he just turned to them slowly, keeping a good hold on Peter before turning away. Gamora sudden arrival with a bloodied blade caught Rocket off guard, he staggered back. Gamora looked hurt by the action. She simply tossed a little device to Rocket.

"His communicator, you should be able to track the others with this right?" Gamora again used a tree to get most of the blood off her deadly weapon before retracting the blade and putting the hilt back on her belt "He said that most of them will be guarding our ship, as well as their own." Gamora knelt by Drax again putting two fingers to Peter's neck checking his pulse. Rocket got to work pulling the rucksack from his back, He retrieved the device he had created before to track Gamora and Drax. This time instead of his own communicator he hooked up the bounty hunters. The device instantly began to receive a strong signal to the left of them. "Lead the way." Gamora stood, looking down at Rocket. The raccoon retrieved his bag before following the signal, not wanting to ask what had become of the bounty hunter Gamora had been left with. His fate was all to clear.

"There." Gamora whispered, she slowly peeled back the vegetation just enough for her to see a large number of bounty hunters standing in the clearing.

"How many?" Drax whispered back, his blue eyes scanning not only the crashed Milano but the fully functioning bounty hunter ship only a few meters away from it.

"Whatever the number, nothing we can't handle." Gamora slipped back from the bushes, returning to Rocket and Groot who where watching over Peter, who lay with his back against the floor.

"Rocket take Peter's blasters; Groot you stay here with Peter." Gamora ordered.

"Wont need them." Rocket deviously smiled, a small device sat in his hand.

"Ok then." Gamora replied unsure with Rocket's choice. She then kneeled in front of Groot who sat next to Peter. "Look after him, we wont be long." Gamora wiped away a single tear of Groot's check. She took one last glace at Peter, his face was covered in sweat, his skin white. The rise and full of his chest only visible when taking a closer look. Gamora quickly turned away, keeping back her tears. She then led Rocket over to Drax who was still kneeled, staring out into the clearing.

"Ready?" She asked, her sword was firmly in her hand.

"I am always ready for a fight." Drax laughed, pulling his daggers from his boots.

"Together." Gamora eyes locked on her first target.

"Together." Drax and Rocket said in unison. The three of them burst through the thick vegetation, the element of surprise giving them a fighting chance. Gamora's sunk her blade deep into her first victims neck, he hadn't even had a chance to wrap his fingers round the gun on his side. She slipped her blade back out, the man gargled on his own blood before dropping to the floor. She then in the matter of seconds charged at another bounty hunter who was readying his gun, she skilfully slid, tackling him to the ground before planting her sword in his throat. Now next to the bounty hunters black crimson ship she was caught by surprise when a large alien emerged from round the corner. His hand griped her tender neck and lifted her, pining her to the ship. She had dropped her sword in the struggle, but in seconds she pulled a small blade from her belt, with a cry her hand shot up and dug the little dagger into the large alien's head. His eyes rolled back and as his grip around Gamora's neck loosened he dropped to his knees. Gamora pulled the dagger from the mans head before he dropped dead. Gamora rolled for her sword as she was shot at from a couple of directions. With her sword back in her hand, she dashed for her next victim only just reflecting a couple of shots before driving her sword through the alien's heart. A sudden shockwave brought everyone to the ground, the ringing in Gamora's ears was still deafening when she got back to her feet. She backed up towards Drax who was getting to his feet. They soon found themselves surrounded. The bounty hunters only delayed for a second before pulling the trigger. Drax laughed as the bounty hunter's weapons refused to fire.

"Nice blasters you got there, I see they can't take an electromagnetic pulse." Rocket's smug voice came over the ships speakers. "love the ship by the way." The engines suddenly roared into life, without taking off Rocket aimed the guns straight at the bounty hunter's. Drax an Gamora quickly dived out the way and behind some wreckage of the Milano as Rocket let the guns rain down onto the bounty hunters. Most attempted to flee, but Rocket showed no mercy, mowing down all that tried to escape.

The sound of gunfire brought Peter round, his body numb, he doesn't really know where he is anymore or what going on.

"When your where young you always wanted to be a hero, just like Captain America in them comic's you use to read." Peter's tired eyes looked up at his mother as she leaned over him, her smile as joyful and heart-warming as he remembered. A bright angelic yellow light behind his mother faded slightly allowing him to see her face more clearly. Like before her face was flushed with colour, her eyes full of life.

"I can't bare to see you this way Peter." Meredith stroked her sons cold face, Peter however couldn't feel her touch. "You have to hang on." She ordered.

"Its over, isn't it?" Peter asked, his voice so strained it was barely recognisable.

"Its not over yet." Yondu suddenly appeared taking Peter's arms and lifting him over his shoulder.

"Drax hurry!" Gamora shouted as Rocket prepared the ship to take off. She stood waiting at the cargo bay door, waiting for Drax to emerge into the clearing with Peter and Groot. The sight of Drax with Peter over his shoulder and Groot on the other, was all she needed to keep her hope alive.

"Rocket, lets go!" She shouted through a speaker on the wall as Drax walked up the ramp into the cargo bay. The door closed behind him, the ships lights where all that lit the way.

"He's struggling to breath." Drax informed Gamora as he followed her through the ship. They soon found Rocket at the controls, the ship was gaining speed quickly as it was slowly angled slightly towards the sky.

"In there." Rocket pointed towards a compartment behind his seat. Drax laid Peter on a large shelf built into the wall, on the other side of the small room. "There should be an oxygen tank in there." Gamora found it and rushed it over to Peter, she placed the mask over his face and allowed oxygen to flow. His breathing eased up slightly. "That should keep him with us a little longer." Rocket informed as they suddenly emerged into space, leaving the small planet behind.

"How many jumps till we get to Terra?" Gamora asked coming up behind Rocket, leaving Drax and Groot with Peter.

"Not many, three of four but…"

"But what?" Gamora questioned.

"The Jump to get into that part of the galaxy is protected."

"By who?"

"Nova Corps."

Authors Notes

Hello all, I've been away for a week so sorry this took a while to come out. Hope you enjoyed it. Least Peter is off that planet and heading in the right direction, even though he is physically out of the woods. He's not out of trouble yet. Reviews are appreciated.