Chapter 12:

*Verena's POV*

"Are you sure about this?" I asked concerned when Drax placing on the suit.

"Of course I am!" Rocket grins at me. "Besides he deserves this for what he did back there."

"That's true," I said realizing it, "but I can handle your weapons more so than him."

"Yes, but I want you to be safe, Verena," he smiles to me, holding my hand.

I smiled back, holding his hand. "I love you Rocket," I tell him softly.

"I love you too Verena," he tells it back to me softly as well.

We lean in for a kiss for a few moments before getting back to business.

I navigate our ship closer to the ship where Quill and Gamora. My thumbs press the buttons to attack on the ship to get their attention. Drex got onto his position where he can target the ship with Rocket's weapon at cew.

"Attention, idiots," Rocket speaks to them through the speakers. "The lunatic on top of this craft is holding a Hadron Enforcer. It's a weapon of my own design."

"If you don't hand over our companions now," I step in, "he's gonna tear your ship a new one."

"A very big new one!" Rocket says.

"We're giving you to the count of five," I add in.

"5, 4, 3," we count together.
"Rocket, Verena, it's me, for God sakes!" we hear Quill on the other side. "We figured it out! We're fine!"

"Hey, Quill," Rocket greeted him with a smile, making me chuckle. "What's going on?"

So we made an agreement. We got Quill and Gamora back while we don't get to destroy their ship.

Quill tells us what he has in mind for a plan, but it didn't seem to pleasing.

"You call that 'figured it out'?" Rocket's not happy as he sits next to me. "We're gonna rob the guys who just beat us senseless."

"You want to talk about senseless?" Quill argues back. "How about trying to save us by blowing us up?"

"We were only gonna blow you up if they didn't turn you over!" my boyfriend explains.

"And how on earth were they gonna turn us over when you only gave them a count of five?"

"We didn't have time to work out the minutiae of the plan. This is what we get for acting altruistically."

"I am Groot," Groot says.

"They are ungrateful," Rocket tells him.

"What's important now is we get to the Ravagers' army to help us save Xander," Gamora steps in, annoyed with them both.
"So we can give the Stone to Yondu who's just gonna sell to somebody even worse?" he asked her.

I raised my eyebrow at this, understanding it.

"We'll figure that part out later," Quill says.

"We have to stop Ronon," Gamora tells us.

"But how?" I asked, stepping in.

"I have a plan," the human says to us.

"You've got a plan?" I asked.

"Yes."

"First of all, you're copying me from when I said I had a plan," Rocket speaks up.

"No, I'm not," Quill tells us. "People say that all the time. It's not unique of a thing to say."

"Secondly, I don't even believe you a plan," Rocket crosses his arms across his chest.

"I have part of a plan!"

"What percentage of a plan do you have?" Drex asked him as I'm trying to keep Rocket calm.
"You don't get to ask questions after the nonsense you pulled on Knowhere," Gamora points at him, glaring.
"I just saved Quill," he defends himself.

"We're already established that you destroying the ship that I'm on is not saving me," Quill speaks up.

"When did we establish it?" Drex asked confused.

"Like three seconds ago!" I tell him, now annoyed with everything now.

"I wasn't listening. I was thinking of something else," he mumbles, making me and Gamora roll our eyes.

"She's right," Rocket says referring to Gamora, "you don't get an opinion."

"What percentage?" I asked Quill.

"I don't know," he answers, "twelve percent."
"Twelve percent?" my boyfriend asked before laughing.

"That's a fake laugh," Quill glares at him.

"It's real!"

"Totally fake," Quill says as Gamora sits on the other side of Rocket.

"That is the most real, authentic, hysterical laugh of my entire life," Rocket explains. "Because that is not a plan."

"It's barely a concept," Gamora speaks.

"You're taking their side?" Quill's in disbelieve with her.

"I am Groot."

"So what, it's better than eleven percent?" Rocket asked our friend. "What the hell does that have to do with anything?"

"Thank you, Groot," the terran smiles, patting his shoulder. "Thank you. See? Groot's the only one of you who has a clue."

Groot chews on a piece of leaves from his shoulder as I glare at him.

"Guys, come on," Quill finally says after a few moments of gathering his thoughts. "Yondu is gonna be here in two seconds. He expects to hear this big plan of ours. I need your help. I look around at us. You what I see?"

I shook my head for a no.
"Losers." I glare at him again. "I mean, like, folks who have lost stuff. And we have. Man, we have. All of us." My mood softens. "Our homes, our families, normal lives. And Usually, life takes more than it gives. But not today. Today, it's given us something. It has given us a chance."

"To do what?" Drax asked.

"To give a shit," he explains to him. "For once. Not run away. I, for one, am not gonna stand by and watch as Ronan wipes out billions of innocent lives."

"But, Quill," I look up to him when I had my head down, taking everything to heart. "Stopping Ronan, it's impossible. You're asking us to die."

"Yea, I guess I am," he says softly, after realizing it and walks away.

"Quill," Gamora speaks up, stopping him and making him turn back. "I have lived most my life surrounded by my enemies." She stands up. "I will be grateful to die among my friends."

"My species were either killed by Ronon or a Stone," I speak up, than standing up. "If it means to stop him to get my species the justice they need, I rather do the revenge with my old friends and new friends."
"You are an honorable man, Quill," Drax says before standing up as well. "I will fight beside you and in the end, I will see my wife and daughter again."

"I am Groot," Groot stands up as well.

We look at my boyfriend Rocket who's still sitting down.

"What the hell," he sighs and standing up as well, "I don't got that long a lifespan, anyway."

I smiled at him.