So, because in relation to my main stories I've hit a bad writers block that, I think might be due to the fact I've been spending ALOT of spare time trying to write out the next chapter for them only for it to never turn out to be something I'm happy with, so basically, I thought 'screw it, I'll just make a one shot' Hopefully writing something other than the same chapter multiple times might set me on track for actual updates.

This story will probably be about 2-3 chapters long, and takes place after GOTG 2, around Teenage Groot time, but it doesn't really involve Mantis - sorry anybody who likes Mantis, but she's not in this for one main reason. I just don't like her that much and I have no clue how to write her character. It's been a while since I've seen GOTG but I think (hope) I got the personalities somewhat true to the characters. This one mainly focuses on Rocket (my FAVOURITE Marvel character, full stop.) and an OC. If you ever want more Marvel one-shots, let me know what you'd wanna see and I'll TRY to do them as best I can, I'm not as big a Marvel person as others so some character's might be tougher for me to write. I'll still try, anyway, enjoy.

~Rocket's POV~

"I am Groot."

"What?"

"I am, Groot?"

"I don't know, quit asking me while ya?"

"I am Groot."

"Go ask Quill or Gamora, they're the one's flying the ship."

"I am Groot."

"I don't know how long until we land, I'm not the Captain." I was trying to make a new modification to my weapon, emphasise on TRYING, Groot here wouldn't stop asking about when we're going to land next. "God damnit." I growled, having misconnected the battery due to not paying close enough attention. It was then we heard Quill speak up, lowering the music that had been blairing throughout the ship.

"We'll be landing in about ten mintues." Was all he said, before turning the music back up. I swear, sometimes I wasn't so thankful for my better hearing, because it meant I could hear Quill's terrible singing. Drax was ignoring it, sharpening his knife yet again - I swear him and sharpening knives is the same as me and bombs and guns. I chuckled softly, then returned to making my modifications.

Before I knew it, we had landed, and, like always, I strapped a gun to my back, hoping to everything Infinity there would be a bar somewhere around here. I didn't pay much attention to the conversation we had earlier, before we came here, but apparently there's some dude who has a job for us and his offering a nice sum of Unit's for it. We're here to get the full details, or, Quill and Gamora are. Groot, Drax and I went out looking for a way to spend our time.

Trust me when I say, it didn't take long for us to find a bar and me to get drunk as shit, though this time, Drax, Groot and I didn't nearly kill each other. Haha, now I think back, that was actually a fun night, despite my... Outburst. I shivered slightly, growling softly at myself. I don't know how long exactly we at the bar, but when we came out it was atleast two or three hours past sunset. Drax practically had to carry me half way back because I got too lazy to walk, not that he seemed to mind.

"So, Quill, what is the job?"

"I am Groot?"

"Yeah, that's more important, how much are we being paid?" That wasn't actually what Groot said but it was the thing on my mind, besides, they still can't really understand him properly like me. Well, Star-Lord can, Gamora's and the others are still trying, but hey, none were even listening to him so they won't know.

"His offering Three billion Units." Ohhh nooo, this better not be another Ronan and Infinity Stone situation.

"We better not be after another one of those stupid Infinity stones or whatever."

"I agree, last time was a perilious journey."

"We're not, he wants us to investigate an old facility at these co-ordinates, apparently he believes something of worth was left behind when it was VERY recently and very quickly abandoned." My right ear perked up in curiousity and slight anxiety when Gamora mentioned 'facility'

"What kinda facility?"

"Some sort of lab facility." I hissed softly. There was no way I was ever going into any place like a lab ever again, abandoned or not.

"I am Groot." Hmm, maybe.. Maybe he could be right, it could be a start to putting that past behind me and starting to get over it somewhat.

"For the record, I'm very opposed to this idea but what the heck. Three billion Units ain't something to pass up." Drax just nodded, agreeing to the mission before walking over and taking a seat, while I stumbled into my room and faceplanted my small bed.

~...~

It had been a long, an overly boring job so far. This place was literally abandoned. Down to the last clipboard. Honestly, it didn't even look like it's ever been used. Like it got constructed then just left. Bet this is just a waste of stupid time.

"Is he sure there's even anything left on this dump." Quill groans, sharing my sentiment. We had been searching this station top to bottom for two full, I guess what could be classed as days out here, and the most we've found was our own footprints telling us we'd gone in a circle the first time. "Starting to think he was just taking the piss."

"I am Groot."

"Yeah."

"I agree with Quill, we are wasting time searching for this item." Drax commented. Yet for some reason, Gamora wasn't as certain about this whole trip being a waste of time. Obviously something happened here that made their 'on-the-side' employer offer them three billion Units for whatever they found. Probably just some nut-job weirdo sending us aft...

"What was that?" We all stared down the hallway from where the sound had came from, seeing a large door at the end, one that looked just like the doors back in the labs where they experimented on me. I gulped, and hesitantly followed the others as they made their way over. Groot was basically shadowing me now, he must've know how I was feeling, I mean, my gun was shaking as we got closer, seeing empty cages just like the ones I was left in. I kinda wished I had Adult Groot back right now though, he knew just how bad it was for me. They only have an idea...

"Oh no." I whimpered, my eyes darting around to see so many cages, stacked ontop of each other, then some big enough to house people like Quill, or even Drax. "No." I shrunk instinctively, and it felt almost like I could hear the screams, the crying, like I was back at the labs. "No...No...No." I swear, PTSD was starting to kick in, but I powered through it, though it seems I wasn't the only one this place made uncomfortable, heck even Drax looked a little unsure of this place.

"What manner of people would require so many confinments?"

"The worst kind." I snarled - it wasn't just the fear coming back to me, there was anger too. "The kind that turned me into the Monster I am." I steeled my grip on my weapon, hearing another sound come from the other side of the door; now we were closer though, it sounded more like a scream.

Then another scream broke us from our thoughts, then another, then another, then crying, then another, louder scream. "What are you waiting for?!" I snarled loudly, gesturing frantically at the door. Normally I couldn't give two shits about anyone else but Groot, but I knew what that - judging by the screaming - female was going through, and I couldn't in my right mind knowingly leave her subjected to that torture.

Drax quickly kicked the door down, Star-Lord taking point and entering first. It was a circular room with multiple doors, but the screaming sounded like it was coming from all of them. "Poor girl." Gamora whispered under her breath. Star-Lord quickly kicked his leader half into action.

"Everyone, take a door each, we might not have time to check each room one by one." He then started pointing at doors while listing us off. I ended up on the door directly opposite where we came in from. It took me a little longer to bust in this door, but when I did wanted to turn and run.

The lab room... It was almost the same, but.. Even bigger, even more intimidating. I ignored the settling horror and forced my way through it, frantically searching the room before another loud, painful scream caught my attention. Just behind that second door, definitely; I didn't hesitate to blast a hole in the window, climbing through, I found a elevated bed, with wires coming down leading to some sort of device, then I recognized it.

It was something I had seen back in the other lab. A device used to torture prisoner's that fight back. You were strapped to the table, wearing a special suit that amplified the electrical charge when it made contact with you, and it was SO painful, even on the lower setting. This thing was turned up to the 'Median' setting and could definitely kill if left active for a long period of time. I shot the thing without hesitation after noticing they had actually broke the swtich to deactivate it.

Instantly her screaming went quite, and I climbed up on the table to see what she was. "Holy shit." I whispered. She.. She was another one of me. Another experiment.. Another 'Raccoon' or whatever Quill said I am. Her fur was a lighter shade than mine, but she was so dirty and messy. Like she hadn't had chance to clean for days, perhaps weeks, not that it'd surprise me.

She was wareing that special outfit for this torture device, and it outlined how skinny she actually was. "How are you not dead?" She should've been. I mean, that thing must've been on for atleast a day or t.. We didn't... Accidentally turn that on did we when we reset the power? Actually, I hope we did, because it'd be better than if it was on before we arrived, and if we didn't, we would've left and she'd be dead before long.

"Rocket! Found it?"

"In here!" I began unhooking the restraints, noticing the girl was knocked out cold. I don't know what the plan is for her, or if she's the thing we were sent to collect. Her fur around the restraints looked burnt, and her breathing was very shallow, face contorted into one of pain. "C'mon, let's get you out of here." I hooked my arms under her, finding her much lighter than I expected her to be, before following the others out back to the ship.

"So, I guess that's what he wanted for three billion." Quill commented, casting a glance at her. "Don't see why he'd offer so much."

"The creature seems of little importance if it was left behind. Perhaps we should find out his reasoning."

"It's three billion Drax, I honestly couldn't care less what he wanted it for."

"I am Groot." I rolled my eyes, ignoring him. This girl was three billion Units, Experiment or not, I want my money.

"I don't see why he couldn't do it himself, lazy asshole." I growled, partly annoyed that we had been sent this far out of our way for a 'Raccoon'

Star-Lord hummed his agreement, turning the corner with us close behind. I snuck a glance at the female, noticing her expression had softened, but otherwise she hadn't changed. Something was tugging at me though, something about her that made me uneasy at the thought of handing her over for the Units. It just, it didn't sit right with me, but like hell I'd say anything.

"I am Groot."

"I don't care." I answered, though I could feel my voice betray me.

"Don't care about what?" Star-Lord questioned. casting a glance back at me and her.

"That she's another Experiment." I tried to keep my voice as uncaring as I could. Part of me did care, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't atleast interested in finding out how long she'd be an Experiment, and what they were doing to her.

"Really?" Quill raised a surprised eyebrow, but otherwise didn't bother to prolong that conversation. Gamora and Drax had both remained fairly quiet the whole way back to the Benatar. Once onboard, I gave Drax the girl, who laid her on a table, while I climbed up ontop of a seat to get a better view of her. Gamora had taken to the cockpit to get the ship out of here.

"Right, so, whose looking after her?" Was the first thing I said. Please don't say me. Dump her with Mantis or Gamora... Please don't say m...

"Rocket, why can't you?"

"Whoa why me? Why can't Mantis or Gamora take care of her?"

"You're both errr... the same?" Quill shrugged. "Besides, you might." He smirked softly, but I knew what he was trying to hint at.

"Shut up Quill." I deadpanned.

"All I'm saying i.." Groot cut him off.

"I am Groot."

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"I am Groot?"

"So what she's a girl?"

"I am Groot." I wanted to headbutt the table. Why does Groot seem to think the fact she's a girl is a BAD thing for me? I couldn't care less. "I am Groot."

"What? No!" At moments like these I bet we wish we couldn't understand the walking tree. Drax had long since left the room, and Mantis was nowhere to be found - lately she's been quiet now I think about it.. Meh. "Look, whose gonna be stuck looking after her until she's healthy or we get back to that sleazeball to sell her?"

"Why can't you?"

"Why'd I have to do everything?"

"Why not, keep you from making so many bombs."

"You'll never know when you'll need extra explosives."

"I know we'll never need enough to blow up a moon." Gamora called out from the cockpit.

"Killjoy." I mumbled under my breath. "How long is it till we get back?"

"About the same amount of time it took to get here. Now get to work looking after her." He didn't give me a chance to voice my refusal before he walked out with a smirk, leaving me and Groot alone with the unconscious 'Raccoon' girl. I growled, glaring at the opening Quill had left through.

"You.. Have got to be kidding me..." I groaned, looking at the unconscious female. This is going to get in my way soooo much, but, she is worth three million units, can't complain all THAT much.

"I am Groot."

"I don't know.." I sat down, sighing in annoyance. "I don't even know how to start looking after her. I'm good at fixing technology, not people."

"I am Groot."

"Fine.." I groaned, then hooked my arms under her. According to Groot, putting her somewhere warmer would be a good start - he might have a point, this ship was rather cold at the moment. I'll need to look at the heating system soon, don't know how long my fur can keep up. As Groot opened the door to my room, he helped me lift her into the bed and cover her up before leaving me alone with my thoughts.