Captured

The first thing Rocket noted was that his head hurt, a lot. The next thing he noted was that leaving the ship hadn't been the best idea, no matter how much of an ass Quill could be. He groaned and rolled over onto his stomach, rubbing the back of his head to feel a thump there. Whatever hit him hit him hard, that's for sure. He opened his eyes and squinted into the darkness around him. He went to stand and grunted when he bumped his head, making the ground shake. Wait, what? He reached forward and his paws found bars. Cell? No, no that wasn't right. Cage? No, that wasn't quite right either, it was too small. Rocket's heart stopped and his grip tightened on the small bars when he found the word he was looking for. Crate.

Rocket held back his scream as he shoved up against the walls with his back legs and his arms, trying to force the space to be larger as he panted heavily in fear and his heart pounded unrelentingly against his ribcage. He whimpered and forced his paw through the small bars, grabbing onto the fabric covering it and yanking it off to let in the light. Rocket yelped as the crate fell to the ground and he landed on the wall, which had now become the floor. No, no this wasn't happening, this couldn't be happening! Rocket curled up tight and hid his face in his arms, trying hopelessly to breathe. It was just a dream, this wasn't really happening, please don't let this be happening!

"Knocked the crate over." Rocket jumped at the voice and scrambled around in fear as the crate was picked up and righted, leaving him panting on the correct floor again. Someone shouted something. "Yeah yeah, I'm bringing it, stop yelling at me! Jeez." Rocket backed up against the back of the crate as he could, trembling in fear as he watched through the bars as he was taken into another room. The sight of the medical table made his heart stop again and Rocket suddenly couldn't breathe again, taking in raspy breaths.

"Good, good." Rocket lept out of the crate when the door opened and tried to break for it, but someone grabbed him by the back of the neck just as he had lept off the table they had set the crate on. "Ah ah ah, not so fast." Rocket tried to speak, to beg to say anything but his voice wasn't working. "We just want to see what makes you tick, you wont feel any pain once we put you to sleep." Rocket choked on air and tried to claw at the hand holding him but it was out of his reach. He was going to die here! Rocket tried to speak again but again his voice failed him.

Rocket struggled as they attached him to the table with a leash that kept him firmly in place. Rocket watched the man in the lab coat go over to another table filled with vials and other tools, humming cheerfully. Rocket whined and yanked on the leash, trying to get loose but only managing to make the back of his neck bleed from the metal that was digging into it. The two men talked but Rocket didn't hear them, all he could hear were his frantic thoughts of how he was going to die here. The man walked over to a cupboard and opened it, taking down a needle.

Rocket stopped pulling and collapsed, shaking. He was going to die here, and the last thing he had ever said to Quill was that he was a terrible person and that he hated him, that he hated them all. He could never apologize for it now, it couldn't be taken back. What if they thought he left them because of that? That would hurt them so much. Rocket hadn't noticed that he was crying until he saw a tear fall to the floor. Rocket looked up at the men as the one in the lab coat filled the syringe with liquid, the other man watching Rocket, who looked up at him pleadingly. The man looked away at that and Rocket started pulling again. He couldn't die here! He couldn't leave the others like this! The man was getting closer. No! He tried to say something but his voice was contracted. The man grabbed his neck and said something about how it wouldn't hurt. No! Please, god no!

"STOP!" The man dropped the syringe as the door burst open, Quill standing there. Rocket had never been so glad to see anyone in his whole life. "Rocket!" Quill ran over to him and shoved the man out of the way. "Are you ok?" Rocket nodded and Quill undid the collar. Rocket lept up onto Peter's shoulder and curled up, hanging on tight as he shook. "See this? This is my buddy Rocket, he's not an animal, he's my friend and don't you ever touch him again." Quill walked out without another word.

"Thank you," Rocket said in a raspy voice. Quill just nodded and they took walked up the stairs towards the exit. "Quill, I don't hate you. I don't hate any of you, I'm sorry I said that." Quill stopped near the top of the stairs and looked at Rocket with a soft frown, seeing the tears in his animal eyes.

"Hey," he said softly, gently grabbing Rocket by the shoulders and holding him out in front of him. "I know you don't hate me and I don't hate you, we just pretend we hate each other because it's how we roll, ok?" Rocket just nodded but didn't look at Quill, who's frown deepened. "Is something else wrong, Rocket?" Rocket looked at Quill and, for the first time in a long time, wondered if there really could be someone else he could trust with his life. He had come all this way to save him, after all. "Rocket?"

"Thank you, for being my friend," the sentence slipped out before Rocket could filter it. Quill's frown ceased and he hugged Rocket close.

"No, thank you," he responded and walked out, carrying Rocket with him back to the ship. "And don't ever do that again, you nearly gave me a heart attack when I couldn't find you."

"I wont. I nearly gave myself a heart attack." Quill laughed and let Rocket climb back up onto his shoulder as they approached the ship were the others were waiting for their return. Rocket put a hand over his heart to feel the steady beat of it that was no longer trying to leap out of his chest.

"You found him!" Drax shouted as he stood. Gamora stopped pacing to look over and Groot looked up from the plants growing on the sidewalk. Gamora let out a sigh of relief and ran a hand through her hair. "Where were you?" Rocket shrunk back and Drax furrowed his brow. "Did they harm you? Should I rip out their spines?" Rocket smiled despite himself.

"Uh, no, but thanks for the offer," Rocket remarked. Drax nodded sharply and watched Rocket leap to the floor, standing on two legs. "Hey, sorry for, uh, what I said earlier. I, didn't really mean it. GAH!" Quill snickered when Drax picked Rocket up and hugged him far too hard.

"Apology excepted comrade!"

"Great. Now leggo!" Rocket took in a gasp when Drax let him go and set him down, patting his head. "Not so hard, ok? Good lord man." Gamora shook her head and walked into the ship. "Can we go now?" Quill nodded and boarded the ship, Drax coming in behind.

"I am Groot." Rocket hopped onto Groot's shoulder.

"Yeah yeah, I know I know. But don't expect one ever again ya hunk of wood."

"I am Groot!"

"Ok, ok fine. Walking hunk of wood. Better?"

"I am Groot."

"Oh get over it you big baby."