The peaceful slumber Apophis found himself in was roughly ruined as a rough knock was heard on his bedroom door. He sighed as he climbed out of bed and quickly changed into a red jacket over his white shirt and black pants.

He walked over to the door to see that it was none other than Nebula wearing a dark blue sleeveless shirt and matching pants.

"Nebula, what's going on this late?" He asked, looking at her and wondering why she was standing outside her bedroom door.

"Just come, Ronan. Waiting for the two of us, and so is Krobb," She replied in her usual emotionless tone.

"Alright, coming. Hopefully, I don't need to put on my mission clothes," Apophis said, zipping up his jacket as he followed Nebula outside the door.

He followed closely after Nebula, who kept her face void of any emotion, and not speaking another word as they headed to Ronan's main headquarters.

Apophis and Nebula reach the headquarters, where Ronan and Krobb we're waiting for them as a hologram head of an odd man with this strange object in his face is talking to the two of them.

"So, what exactly is going on?" Apophis asked, going over to stand next to Krobb while Nebula was standing close to Ronan's side.

"We got news on Gamora," Krobb replied, glancing over at Apophis standing on his right.

"Now, everyone here, What is it you need to tell us about Gamora's?" Ronan asked, focusing his attention back on the hologram head.

Apophis crossed his arms as he focused his attention on the man, wondering what kind of news there was on Gamora and the orb.

"It seems that Gamora has been taken to the Kyln after failing to retrieve the orb from the one known as Star-Lord," The guy explained.

'So she messed up after all and got captured.' Apophis thought as he glanced at Nebula and noticed her expression was different from her usual emotionless expression. He couldn't tell what she was thinking, not entirely sure of the expression of emotion on her face.

"You have been betrayed, Ronan," The voice from the man said, pulling Apophis' attention back to it.

"We know that she has been captured," Ronan said, walking forward.

Nebula immediately returned to her usual expression after sending Apophis a glare, feeling his eyes on her face. She then focused back on Ronan as he continued talking.

"Gamora may yet recover the Orb."

"No! Our sources within the Kyln say Gamora has her own plans for the Orb," He explained to Ronan.

Once again, Apophis found his gaze drawn back to Nebula, seeing her look away with that same expression on her face, and couldn't help wondering what was going on in her head. Krobb notices Apophis's sudden change in attention and taps the back of his head, getting him to focus.

"Your partnership with Thanos is at risk," He explained.

Ronan was silent as he stared at the man in surprise at what he had heard about Gamora.

"Thanos requires your presence immediately!"

The hologram head then disappeared out of their sight.

"I head to the flight deck and tell them to set course for Sanctuary," Krobb said, already knowing Ronan would want him to do that.

Ronan didn't bother to say anything as he looked around, annoyed and frustrated, before turning his attention to Nebula and Apophis."You both can go back to bed for now, at least until we reach Sanctuary," He said to them.

"Alright, give us another five hours of sleep since weren't not that far," Apophis said."Through doubt, I go back to sleep after that loud yelling," He said, walking towards the exit and sending a look at Nebula.

"Will you stop that already," Nebula muttered, sending a hardened look at Apophis, catching him looking at her again.

"Sorry, it's just you seem like you were thinking of something," He replied as he and Nebula walked out of the room, leaving Ronan to his frustration.

Nebula stopped in her tracks and glanced at Apophis, still not fully understanding his deal. She then averted her gaze away from Apophis and kept it in front of her as her dark eyes narrowed."I told you enough false kindness! What makes you think there is something on my mind?"

"Clam down, Nebs," Apophis started as he smiled at Nebula."You had an odd expression on your face as you heard about Gamora. It is not one I have seen before, or did you not notice your expression changed? It seemed as if you did as soon as you changed it back once you caught me looking."

Nebula froze when she heard Apophis call her Nebs. She glared at the green-haired male."Don't call me that ever again!"

Apophis nodded as they walked up the stairs to the slumber deck. As they reached the slumber deck, Nebula started to open the door to her room which was right next to Apophis bedroom. She stopped in her tracks as she saw him look at her once again.

"What now?!" She snapped in annoyance.

"Look, you don't have to share what's on your mind, but maybe we can talk for a bit until I fall asleep or something," Apophis said.

Nebula's dark eyes flickered up to meet Aophis gaze as he gave him a stern look."Yes, I won't be sharing what is on my mind because it doesn't concern you."

"Hey, I get it. We might work together often, but you don't see me as a friend, but I do. Come on, join me for a little bit in my room, Nebs."

Nebula shook her head at the dumb nickname as she finally decided to join him in his bedroom for a little while. She knew he wouldn't leave her alone until she gave in."Look, Apophis, we might work together, but. were only allies. I don't make friends and only listen. Don't expect me to talk much," She said, following him into the room and sitting at the end of his bed.

"Hey, I don't fully understand your deal with not trusting others, but guessing it is something to do with your life or past," Apophis started."However, I want you to know my kindness isn't false."

"I don't believe that now. How exactly did you end up with Ronan? You're not a Kree or an ally of the Kree?" Nebula asked, waiting to move away from the topic of why she acted this way.

The moment Apophis had heard that question, a million thoughts and memories ran through his head of his past. He took a deep breath and glanced at Nebula, deciding that sharing his story could help her open up to a real friendship."My parents were killed when I was six years old. A Conqueox snake went on a rampage normally; they don't go into houses, but that one was more aggressive than usual, like something really ticked it off to break into my home. I spent four years surviving on my own in a cavern. I did want to live in an orphanage, and my older brother Ryu left on his own, not saying where he was going, but my parents never seemed to worry, so maybe he told them and not me for some reason."

Nebula hummed in thought."So you have an older brother."

"Yeah, so how did you end up adopted by Thanos?" He asked.

Nebula stared at Apophis, deep in thought, wondering if she should answer Apophis' question. She sighed softly, deciding that she should after he shared his story."I don't remember much of my family or the day they were killed," She started."I was pretty young, so it is a very faint memory, but that day Thanos took my sister Astrea and me to train us to be warriors."

Apophis narrowed his eyes in thought."I had never heard of Astrea."

"She, my older sister, unlike my other siblings, shares my blood," Nebula said quietly."She left before we were lent to Ronan. She decided to go on a personal journey. I haven't heard from her since her message years ago."

"Are you worried?"

"No," Nebula replied quickly."We didn't get along much with the age difference of seven years. Of all my siblings, she is the one I hate the most. Though I guess she is somewhere happy with her new boyfriend, Kurt, as she mentioned in her last message to me."

Nebula's story reminded him of his and Ryu's relationship. They always get along almost ten years apart. Though he cared about his brother, he was sure Nebula cared about her sister and Gamora. He wasn't too sure about the other siblings.

"What was it like being raised by Thanos?"

This time Gamora remained silent.

"My father was quite strict at times," Apophis said, filling the silence since Nebula seemed to be done sharing as soon as he asked that question."My mother, however, was fun and less strict except when I did something dangerous. They were both fantastic parents who cared for me and did other fun activities when they weren't busy."

"Perhaps you should find yourself lucky to grow up with them as parents," Nebula said uninterestedly but continued to listen.

"I don't know," Apophis said with a yawn as he spoke. He could feel himself starting to grow sleepy but forced his eyes to stay open."I feel like my father, at times, paid more attention to my brother before he left and started spending more time with me as a backup."

"So you were a backup choice to spend time with after your brother was gone?"

"It felt like that time, but maybe it was just because he was older and needed guidance in puberty when he hit that age."

Nebula didn't say anything, opting to stay silent. She could hear the sound of Apophis' soft breathing behind her. She wondered if the green hair male was asleep but received the answer as she felt his body lower under the covers. She stood up and started heading toward the door to her room to get some sleep as well.

Apophis' dreams, filled with memories of his family spending time together, were interrupted by the banging on his door and Nebula yelling to get changed and meet at the Necrocraft. He sighed and hopped out of bed, and changed into his red jumpsuit, and grabbed his weapon.

He walked over to the door and saw Nebula waiting for him outside the door.

"What is it now?" He asked with a yawn walking out of the room once Nebula backed up.

"We're taking the Necrocraft down to Sanctuary. The Dark Aster will stay nearby, hovering," She replied.

"Okay, I didn't realize that it had been that long already. Must have been really into that dream," He mumbled.

"Yeah, your strange muttering when I left gave me the feeling it was a fun dream," Nebula said as she recalled his muttering right before she opened the d door.

Apophis smiled at Nebula as he recalled the new can't they have before he had fallen asleep."I enjoyed the chat we had with each other."

Nebula stared at him for a moment blankly before she spoke."I guess it wasn't that bad of a time," She said softly as they headed to the Necrocraft, where Ronan awaited them.

Hey readers!

I am slowly getting the development of Apophis and Nebula's relationship into a friendship on both sides. Not just on Apophis' side. I had the two of them bonding while sharing a bit of their past. I did go more into his relationship with Ryu. I also mentioned another OC named Astrea. Afterea is an Oc I've been working on for a very interesting Guardians of the Galaxy and X-men crossover. The storyline is still in progress, but it goes into her backstory and how she end up meeting Kurt. Ryu will be getting more on him in his own story as well in the future.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I have been having a fantastic time writing the relationship between Nebula and Apophis, and soon, he will be meeting her father instead of just hearing his name.

Thank you to everyone who has been reading and supporting this story!

Word Count: 2064