I had never hyperventilated before, at least not that I could remember. But I immediately decided I didn't like it as I gasped, struggling to get my breathing back under control. I felt myself shaking, the adrenaline from the near death experiences still causing my heart to beat erratically. Yep, definitely hated hyperventilating. Where was a paper bag when you needed it?

I bended over, supporting myself by resting my hands on my knees. Thanking Odin and whoever else I could think of that I was still alive, while at the same time my big head decided to calculate the percentage that we would have survived the blast. The number was not comforting.

"How could I think Tivan could contain whatever was in the orb?"

I looked up rising slowly as Quill and Gamora exited the ruins of the bar, looking a little worse for wears but still mostly alive… and still holding the death orb. My eyes widened in shock, why did she have that?

"What do you still have it for?" Rocket demanded, now completely sobered up by this experience as he pulled on the fur on his face.

"What are we gonna do, leave it in there?!" Quill demanded just as hysterical as the rest of us.

"Well what do you expect us to do with it?" I shouted waving my hands around crazily, "In case you missed the last five minutes, that orb just turned somebody into a bomb!"

"I can't believe you had that in your purse!" Rocket shouted pointing at the orb for emphasis.

"It's not a purse. It's a knapsack!" Quill argued instantly changing the subject away from the orb of death that Gamora was still carrying.

"It looks like a purse!" I shouted at him as I quickly began pacing, the adrenaline forcing me to move around.

"We have to bring this to the Nova Corps." Gamora insisted suddenly back on track, "There's a chance they can contain it."

"You think somebody can contain that thing?" I asked her in disbelief, now struggling to understand how the hell a couple inches of metal had managed to keep that thing contained for so long.

"Are you kidding me?" Rocket demanded shrilly, "We're wanted by the Nova Corps. Just give it to Ronan!"

"So he can destroy the galaxy?" Quill shouted back at him, we seemed to be doing a lot of it right now.

"What are you, some saint all of a sudden?" Rocket shouted in disbelief, "What has the galaxy ever done for you? Why would you wanna save it?"

"I can think up a few good reasons off the top of my head!" I offered shaking my head as I paced, pressing my closed fist against my chin.

Quill looked down at the raccoon as he yelled, "Because I'm one of the idiots who lives in it!"

"There's a good reason," I added unhelpfully as I began biting my thumb nail.

I paused in my steps looking back when Gamora suddenly grabbed Quill's jack, speaking in an urgent voice, "Peter, listen to me. We cannot allow the stone to fall into Ronan's hands. We have to go back to your ship, and deliver it to Nova."

"Right, right, okay. I think you're right." Quill nodded in agreement as I began to pace again. For just a moment I thought that he was being a good person, a decent human being. Until he suggested hopefully, "Or we could give it to somebody who's not going to arrest us, who's really nice, for a whole lot of money."

I stopped pacing completely turning slowly to face Quill who looked around at us hopefully as he added for good measure, "I think it's a really good balance between both of your points of view."

"You are a curly haired son of a bitch," I cursed at him before turning so I could begin pacing again only to stop dead at the new sight before me. I called back to them trying to be as calm a possible, "Uh, guys?"

"You're despicable." Gamora snapped at Quill angrily.

"Hey guys?" I called a little louder hoping somebody would notice.

"Dishonorable," Gamora continued clearly not done with her tirade.

"Guys, seriously, need your attention over here!" I shouted louder.

"Faithless!" Gamora shouted still ignoring me clearly about to charge away from Quill until she stopped dead next to me with a gasp.

"GUYS!" I screamed this time rolling my eyes as I gestured to the problem I found in our path, "Enemy spaceships, like two feet from us! Anybody else worried here?"

"Oh no," Gamora gasped now fully aware of our situation as she looked over the numerous spaceships, all of which totally looked like bad guy space ships FYI. And standing directly in front of them with his arms wide clutching two long knives was a very familiar blue shirtless figure.

"Drax, what the hell man?!" I shouted to him throwing my arms up in the air at his foolishness.

"You called Ronan?" Quill questioned the lunatic loudly coming up on my other side.

One of the ships suddenly began to land in front of the fearless Drax, looking around I suggested firmly, "Okay, I think we need to run. Like right now."

"Quill! Don't you move, boy!"

I turned surprised looking around the stunned Gamora, narrowing my eyes until I spotted a centurion in a red coat running towards us with an infuriated look on his face. I sighed slouching a bit as I snapped sarcastically, "And now there's that guy! Is there anyone else we have to be worried about? I can send them a message right now, if we need to!"

If the rest of the group found my sarcasm funny or annoying they didn't waste time telling me, instead choosing to make a mad dash towards some mostly empty mining ships. I guess it didn't matter either way, Gamora and Quill would probably just knock out anyone in them.

I jumped surprised when somebody suddenly grabbed my arm spinning me around to face the blue centurion who glared at me dangerously. Before he could even ask I point in some random direction and announced without question, "He went that way."

Satisfied with my answer the centurion let go of my arm and hurried off in that direction. Satisfied that my lie had been bought I looked around the area debating on where I should go. I smiled confidently when I spotted the perfect vantage point. Sniper rifle in hand I ran, pushing through the crowd of panicking civilians. Luckily the building I had picked had a perfect ladder allowing me to climb up the side without having to waste time finding a more creative way up.

Once up on the top of the building I pulled out a small earpiece as I made my way towards the edge trying to pick out the best snipping position. Sitting down on one knee I placed the earpiece in my ear and opened up a program on the HWT, quickly I went through the available, and not so available, com links before I easily picked out the correct one I needed.

I pulled out my sniper, unloading it before I settled down on the roof and looked through the scoop taking stalk of everything that was going on. I looked around the airfield, I spotted a couple mining ships and more than a few enemy ships.

I smirked as I found a weak place in one of the faster ones, easily taking aim and firing smirking as I watch the ship go up into flames.

"What the hell was that?" Rocket shouted over the com link, shocked that the ship in front of him and seemingly decided to spontaneously combust.

"Oh relax, it's just me." I assured him as I took aim again this time at one that was coming up behind Quill promising, "I shall try very hard not to hit you."

Rocket sighed, very unconvinced by my promise, but he seemed to drop it as he asked a little worried, "Whatever, do you see Groot anywhere?"

"Groot? I thought he was with you!" I admitted a little surprised that a tree could be missing as I fired down the ship that had been behind Quill.

"Nah, he can't fit in the pod, just look around for him will ya?" Rocket dismissed.

"You got it, give me a sec," I agreed helpfully turning the scope away from the action and back towards the crowd glancing around for a second before I announced, "I see that centurion, still looking totally pissed off."

"I may have caused that." Quill admitted almost sounding sheepish.

"Not surprisingly in the least," I sighed off handedly as I continued on with the search until I found the next interesting sight, "Um, I spy with my little eye Drax getting his butt handed to him by a blue guy. Who I can only assume is this Ronan guy I've heard so much about."

"Serves him right!" Rocket announced unsympathetically as I continued with my search for Groot.

"Well I'm not really seeing any-AH!" I screamed leaping back in horror as all of a sudden an extremely magnified image of Groot's eye appeared in front of the scope, a cheerful innocent smile on his face as he appeared.

"Phoenix? Phoenix! Hey! You still there?" Quill shouted into the mic worriedly, apparently my scream having been sent over the link.

I remained on my back for a moment, breathing heavily as I stared at the ceiling before I announced sitting up as I glared at the tree, "I found him."

I looked over the edge to find that Groot had grown his legs up, like when he was getting the batter from the watchtower, to stand by where I was snipping. Now aware of where I was Groot came up to stand next to me as I got back into position looking throw the scope again only to gasp surprised as one of Ronan's ships exploded as one of the littler mining ships sailed right through it like a giant wrecking ball.

"Holy cow! Who did that? I saw that from here!" I shouted over the mic, my only response was an amused chuckle that sound like it was from Quill. Now a little annoyed I demanded over the com, "Wait, have you guys been doing that this whole time? I want a mining ship!"

The chuckle got a little lower until all of a sudden it cut out with a crack. I frowned instinctively putting a hand on my headpiece as I asked, "Guys? Hey guys? Does anybody copy? Guys?"

I gave them a chance to response and quickly I checked the scope again making sure that no one had been killed. I spotted the ships still going around so I sighed standing hesitantly shaking my head as I announced, "They must have gone out of range."

I took a moment to curse whoever had built those pods, the sad thing was everybody else could probably still hear me.

I glanced around the area, hoping I could find something to do to be at least slightly helpful. I sighed in agitation when I realized that there was something helpful I could do, Groot and me anyways. I looked to the tree curious to see if he had any intentions of going somewhere, I was a little surprised to find him looking at me expectedly. Looks like I was in charge.

"Alright, Groot." I announced reluctantly heading back towards the ladder as I reluctantly decided, "We have a homicidal lunatic to save."

As much trouble as that jerk had caused his reasoning was just, as stupid as that may sound, and he was actually a funny guy. At least that's what I told myself, instead of admitting that I might possibly just want to do the right thing.

Groot at least seemed pleased with my decision, humming excitedly as he followed me back down towards the ground. We hurried to where I had last seen the blue man fighting Ronan, but when we reached there I found the area eerily empty. I looked around confused, "Well, where is he?"

I looked up as a wooden finger tapped my shoulder, Groot looked concerned as he pointed at something on the ground. I frowned lowering myself down to get a better look, running my fingers along the marks in the ground, "Drag marks?"

I get back to my feet glancing at Groot to make sure the ent was still following me as I began following the drag marks, whatever had been dragged it was heavy and big. Just like a certain blue man who we were looking for. I was a little shocked to find the drag marks stop just short of a giant tub of creepy yellow liquid, really don't want to know what that stuff is.

"Oh hell," I groaned in despair lowering myself down to grab the edge if the tub and shouted, "Drax!"

I'm not sure how much good I thought this would do, but Groot seemed to have come up with a better plan. The tree man gently grabbed my shoulder so he could tug me back, with the room he kneeled down and reached down and began searching through the gross tub with his bare hands. He was a brave tree, I realized as I scrunched up my nose. I watched as he moved his hand around a bit until suddenly he hummed again and began lifting. When his hand came up he brought up the seemingly dead Drax.

"What do we do?" I gasped as Groot set the lunatic down on the dirt. I looked around the area as I admitted, "He's not breathing, and I can't do CPR!"

I looked back down as Groot suddenly held up his hand, his finger sharping into what almost looked like one of those things used to get sap out of trees. Before I could ask he stabbed Drax in the chest, I nearly screamed only to find it replaced by a breath of relief as the destroyer began heaving and gasping. Spitting out the sick yellow liquid that had been stuck in his lungs. Groot pulled his finger away smiling happily. I patted Groot on the back praising the tree proudly, "Alright, Groot!"

Drax let out a low groan and I moved forward to lean over him calling, "Yo Captain Crazy! Can you hear me?"

Drax could only give me a weird look as he continued to suck in air, but I took that as a yes. I jumped surprised when suddenly something crashed/landed behind us. Kicking up even more dust up into the already gross air.

I waved my hand in front of my face in a useless attempt to get dust away from my face, Groot taking the opportunity to help Drax sit up. I blinked my eyes open as the small figure of Rocket emerged from the pod yelling angrily, "Blasted idiot! They're all idiots!"

"Well, what happened?" I demanded crossing my arms looking around to make sure no one else was about to crash.

"Quill just got himself captured!" Rocket informed us still shouting at the idiocy of our companions. I let out a low curse as Rocket glared at Drax shouting accusingly, "None of this ever would have happened if you didn't try to single-handedly take on a frickin' arm!"

I reached up running my hand through my hair again, failing to come up with any response to this. My mind was racing as I tried, and failed, to think up some kind of plan.

"You're right,"

I looked back down at Drax, startled at the crazed man's admission he looked almost guilty as he went on, "I was a fool. All the anger, all the rage, was just to cover my loss."

I shifted my weight onto my left leg and let out a deep sigh, reaching up to rub my temple as his words settled in. This whole thing was so messed up.

"Oh boo-hoo-hoo! My wife and child are dead!"

"DUDE!" I shouted startled my head snapping up to glare heatedly at the raccoon's startling comment, and here I thought Quill was the ass here! Even Groot seemed shocked by his friend's response, covering his mouth as he gasped.

"Oh, I don't care if it's mean!" Rocket shouted at us uncaring of how evil his previous mockery was. Instead his attention was draw back to Drax as he shouted, "Everybody's got dead people! It's no excuse to get everyone else dead along the way!"

I bite my lip as this comment hit a little too close to home for me, hesitantly clenching and unclenching my fists.

"Come on Groot," Rocket announced much more calm, "Ronan has the stone. The only chance we got is to get to the other side of the universe as fast as we can and maybe, just maybe, we'll be able to live full lives before that whack-job ever gets there!"

I frowned then taking in what Rocket had said. Yes that might be the best chance any of us had, maybe it really was out only chance. But… why did it feel so wrong?

"I am Groot."

I looked up at the Flora Colossus, who now stood to his full height as he looked down at his fury companion.

"'Save them'?" Rocket repeated, unconsciously translating for us, "How?"

Groot shrugged his shoulders looking down uncertainly at the ground as he said, "I am Groot…"

This was quite possible the weirdest one sided conversation I had ever seen.

"I know they're the only friends we ever had!" Rocket admitted, though it sounded like he was hesitant to admit that. I raised my eyebrow in shock at his reveal, I don't remember becoming friends. I looked down as him as he continued to argue, "But there's an army of Ravagers around them! And there's only two of us!"

"Three." Drax corrected firmly as he got to his feet.

"I count four," I corrected him setting one hand on my hip as a crooked smile pulled up my lips.

All eyes fell on Rocket who looked around us like we were nuts, when he realized we were serious he grabbed his ears pulling at them slightly before turning and began kicking some grass shouting as he did so, "You're making me… beat up… grass!"

I smirked at his back singing cheerfully, "I'll let you fly the ship."

Almost instantly the raccoon stopped kicking.