⇱00---00⇲

"Something breaks, we don't throw them away... we fix them."

⇲00---00⇱

(No POV): Inside the Milano ship...

Rocket carried Rachel while Drax and Groot managed to find their way back to the Milano with them. Her fur was alright, but her right arm was damaged, and her breathing was struggling because of the impact. Rocket didn't like it, and the only thing he didn't want to admit was that he was scared for Rachel. "We need to get her to a table," Rocket said, his voice filled with concern. "I-I c-can't lose her too."

Groot nodded and gently cradled Rachel as he followed Rocket to the medical bay. Drax walked silently beside them, his expression filled with guilt and worry. He blamed himself for not being able to protect Rachel.

Once they reached the table, Rocket wasted no time getting the necessary supplies and equipment to treat Rachel's injuries, but first, he had to fix her right arm. Groot carefully laid her on the examination table, and Rocket began working on her. Rocket couldn't help but think about their first encounter as he worked. Rachel was cheerful and always ready to fight by their side. She had become someone valuable to Rocket, and seeing her injured like this was hard to digest.

Drax stood by the doorway, watching silently, unable to shake off the feeling of responsibility for what had happened to Rachel. He wanted to protect her just like he had failed to protect his family. He silently vowed to make it up to her, to ensure her safety no matter what.

Hours passed as Rocket worked tirelessly to stabilize Rachel's condition. Finally, he stepped back, his exhaustion evident in his eyes. "She's stable for now," he said, his voice filled with relief. "But she's going to need time to recover." Groot gently stroked Rachel's fur, his eyes filled with sadness. "I am Groot. (I'll stay with her)," he said, his voice filled with unwavering support.

Rocket's eyes lingered on Rachel's unconscious form. "Yeah, okay, just keep me posted," he replied quietly. "You love her, don't you?" Drax spoke up, "What the hell are you talking about? I don't love her!" Rocket protested as Groot tilted his head, raised an eyebrow leaf at him, and spoke: "I am Groot. (You protested; that means you do love her)." "Your tree friend is right; you do love her. This reminds me of when I fell in love with my Ovette." Drax explains.

"Can you both just don't lecture me about the word 'LOVE'? It's disgusting." While Groot starts singing a little song and says, "I am Groot, I am Groot, I am G-R-O-O-T~. (You and Rachel, sitting on a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G~)." At this point, Drax was bursting out laughing while Rocket felt himself blushing in embarrassment but was grateful that his fur covered his face and turned away: "QUIT IT!" But then they heard a groan from the table, making the trio shush one another and change the subject to devising a plan to rescue Peter and Gamora from Yondu. 

However, the team has yet to locate their fellow guardians. Finding them in the vast galaxy would take a while. Rocket decides to take charge and volunteers to fly the ship to track them down: "I am Groot (And luck?)," says Groot. "Not yet, but I'm getting close," replies Rocket. After Rachel got injured, Groot noticed his friend struggling to calm down, so he came up to do a match-making moment: 

"Anyways, do you need something?" He asked what made Groot smile, and he pointed downstairs to where Rachel's unconscious form was. Of course, Rocket sighed: "Ok, you can fly the ship, Groot. Just don't lose course. Go straight, we're almost there." Groot nodded and sat on his seat to pilot the ship, whereas Drax had fallen asleep in one of the empty seats next to him.

Meanwhile, Rocket was relieved that he didn't need to hear Drax snore every time he piloted the ship; he rolled his eyes about it after he brought a couple of spare parts while keeping an eye on Rachel. Glancing at her from time to time, when a memory of his past friends back at THAT place being murdered by HIM was the reason why he didn't want to lose Rachel, there's a chance that there are others like them trying to escape and survive. He felt empty with nothing but sadness; however, a thought came to mind. 

Rocket wondered how Rachel managed to escape and not get killed; it frightened him to know whether or not he could ask her, but he decided not to think about it. "Ngh...Rocket?" Her voice was hoarse; Rocket's ears flick at the sound of Rachel's voice, and he instantly goes to her and tells her, "Easy, sweetheart. I just got ya back to the Milano. You took quite a hit out there." He gently adjusts Rachel's position on the table, making her comfortable.

Rachel winces in pain where her ribs are as Rocket moves her arm slightly. "What happened? How did I get hurt?" she asks, her voice confused. Rocket hesitated, debating whether to tell Rachel what had happened. But seeing the concern and curiosity in her orange eyes, he decides to be honest with her. "Groot told me you took a hard hit by Ronan's long hammer. After that, you broke your ribs, and your metal arm got broken, but don't worry, I managed to fix it in new condition."

Rachel's brow furrows, her tail swishing in delight: "I... I don't know what to say," A small smile flickering across her furred face, "Maybe a 'you're welcome, Rocket?..." Rocket spoke: "You're gonna need some time to recover. Your ribs didn't break completely; they just sprained." He scratched the back of his neck as Rachel saw his tail sway from side to side; seeing a cute reaction of him being nice made her heart swell even further.

Her orange eyes flicker with gratitude as she just remembered what she heard Rocket say he didn't like her, feeling dejected without looking up at him: "Thank you for saving me...I promise you won't have to see me again when this is all over." Rocket's confused expression showed and questioned, "What do you mean, 'won't see me again'? " "I-I-I thought-t you didn't like me being around...I heard you telling Groot and Drax that you didn't like me around you." 

She brings her tail up to shy away her face from facing Rocket, who widens his brown eyes in shock and immediately feels bad for saying that as he softens his usual tough demeanor for the moment and replaces it with a rare expression of exposure: "You were listenin' this entire time?!" "Y-Yeah. And i-it's fine," Rachel fakes her smile, hiding her sadness: "At least you get to earn units-" "I'mma stop you right there, just because you heard me rejecting you doesn't mean that I don't like ya... I-I see you as a partner, that's all! Plus, I did it because if anything happens to you. I-I will never find anyone like you... you're special, alright?"

Rocket looked away, awkwardly flustered and guilty about how he HALF-confessed that he liked her, which made Rachel's mouth drop in disbelief. She thought she didn't hear it right, but then she repeated the words and realized he was telling the truth. She shyly smiles in relief. 

Groot and Drax, on the other hand, heard everything they'd been listening to quietly in the background the entire time, Knowing full well that it would take them a while to understand the confession words: "I am Groot. (We're perfect for each other; good thing I left the ship on auto-pilot)." Drax was half awake, so he only heard a bit of the conversation with a smile.

Rachel's eyes meet Rocket's, and she gently grabs his paw: "R-Really?" Rocket's heart swells at her touch, and he squeezes her natural paw gently, "Yeah, well, don't get all mushy on me. We still have a lot of work to do, and we're gonna save Peter and Gamora." "Count me in. I'll be back on my feet in no time. Just don't go get ahead of yourself, alright?" Rocket smirks, a mischievous glint in his eye. 

"Don't worry, sweetheart. I've got nine lives, remember?" They share a small laugh, the tension in the air easing slightly. Their bond grows stronger, and their love for each other becomes undeniable, even if Rocket refuses to admit it out loud.

Later... 

"Are you sure that your threat will work?" Rachel questioned Rocket's sanity, making him huff with a sly smirk on his face while Drax wore a spacesuit and took the Handor Enforcer to stand outside of the Milano while Groot sat down behind Rocket while Rachel was next to him, "Trust me, if they don't give Quill and Gamora, we'll blow up the ship." 

"...Okay?" She said, confused.

"No worries, sweetheart. No one will or probably get hurt by us." Rocket moves the Milano ship in front of Yondu's, getting ready to threaten the Ravangers, and he cooly replies. 

Rachel nodded hesitantly, "That's what I'm afraid of." 

After everything was ready, the raccoon started speaking, "Attention, idiots," Rocket's voice came over the comlink. Rachel wasn't sure how she felt about this development, but still, she wondered how she developed these new feelings a few hours ago. Shaking it off, she watches: "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, he's gonna tear your ship a new one. A very big new one!" No response again, Rocket continues, "I'm giving you the count of five. Five, four, three..." Before he could say two and one to command Drax to shoot, Rachel understood that whenever someone doesn't do what he wanted, he never messes around with it: "Rocket, it's me, for God's sake! We figured it out! We're fine!" Peter panicked for Rocket to stop talking and not destroy Yondu's ship.

"Oh, hey, Quill. What's going on?" Rocket happily smiles, meaning Peter had just stopped a crazy-protective male raccoon from blowing them up; sometimes Rachel wonders how this insane life will end.