Space Lovers~ Peter Quill

11. O-o-h Child

I awake to the comfort of Peters strong arms. My head against his chest as he cradles my bruised body against his and holds me close. I can feel him silently crying into my hair as he wills me to move. To show any sign of life. His calloused hands caressing my face in desperation. 

"P-Peter," I barely gasp as my emerald eyes attempting to flutter open. 

"Oh my gosh, you're awake!" He cries. Relief flooding through both of us to seeing the other breathing and somewhat okay. 

Squeezing me impossibly tight before we're both ripped apart from each others arms by another collision!

The air is knocked from me as I collide harshly with the ground. Everything in darkness as my body fights to stay conscious and my eyes rolling so far back into my head, I could have sworn I saw my brain. 

Everything hurt! Agony ripped through every molecule in my body as I lay against the rubble that once represented the Dark Aster. I was pretty sure a few fingers were broken and a collection of my ribs too. The torture that pulsed every time I attempted to gasp for breath felt like a bolder pushing down and making me suffocate as I lay, almost paralyzed, in the remnants of the battle. 

I knew I was dreaming when the notes of "O-o-h Child" were caressing my ears. If that tape had miraculously survived all of this destruction, then I will eat my words because that tape should have died years ago. The amount of times Peter has it playing is unbelievable. Surely it should have worn out by now, even if it is a present from his late mother; those Midguardian objects tend to have a limited shelf life. 

"YOU KILLED GROOT!" I hear Rocket scream. My heart stuttering in my chest at the fact that such a generous and kind creature such as Groot had been mascaraed by a sadistic man, like Ronan. Groot was someone that blossomed love deep into your heart the moment you met him. So innocent and gentle in his ways. 

I cry in agony when Rocket is launched into my body. His small form having a harsh impact on my weakened body as he lays against me from where he had been projected. 

"Rocket," I wheeze. I couldn't move and his extra weight on my chest was making it impossible to breathe, "Rocket, get up-" uncontrollable coughing making me almost choke on the blood that begins to bubble in my mouth. Fear flooding through my veins as pain explodes throughout my entire body as I fail to take in a breath that can supply my screaming muscles with the oxygen they require. 

I can hear Ronan shouting and demanding everyone's attention. But I can't focus on the words said as I manage to move my hand a little in attempts of moving Rocket. Failing miserably. 

The rocking of my chest under his small frame awoke Rocket. His confused eyes widening as they take in the state of the blood that dribbles from my lips and down my neck in a river of crimson. 

"Freya!" He cries as he jumps of my chest and somewhat rolls me over onto my side so that I can breathe. A cry of agony spluttering from my stained lips as I beg him to stop. To leave me as I am. 

Then I notice where Rockets wide eyes are staring. Slowly, I try to move my head so I can see for myself but he grabs my chin and forces me to not look.

"Don't," He gulps as he looks over to someone behind me and motions for them to come over. I hear rubble moving and shuffling around me before he large frame of Drax appears. A stunned gasp emitting from the giant as Rocket orders him to apply pressure to my chest. 

"What-" My own scream interrupts my question as they both apply pressure to the left side of my chest. This has to be a form of  torture to inflict this much pain on someone. 

"Stop!" I cry, unable to move underneath the two of them. More blood forcing it's way up my throat and making me gag. 

"You've been impaled with a metal rod, we're not leaving you!" Rocket shouted at me to try and get me to shut up. Ronan's attention had been drawn towards us during my screaming, "Aw shít!" He curses when Ronan begins turning towards us. 

I could hear Peter and Gamora shouting at him, trying to get him to focus on them for a little while longer. All I wanted was Peter. So I could feel safe and protected for a few moments longer before I go. I knew I wasn't coming out of this, there was too much blood covering Drax and Rocket alone to be any return from this, never mind the amount spilling from my lips. A veil of fatigue and vertigo ascending upon my pulsating head as I gasp for needed breath. 

Glancing my tired eyes up towards the large creature that had the audacity to try and annihilate an entire planet, I caught him smirking at the scene as my friends attempted in vain to save my life. 

I needed to somehow protect them. I couldn't let them be harmed any more by trying to protect me. 

Then I felt it. 

The raw power of the orb simmering like magma under my skin as I reached my shaking hand, with three evidently broken fingers, towards the horror that was advancing towards us. I would not allow anyone else to be harmed by his wrath. I would end it, now!

And with that thought, purple energy emitted forcefully from my ruined hand towards Ronan. The power so strong and intense that the pain of whatever had sliced through my chest seemed so small and  inconspicuous. This was something new. Something more than any of us. And this power was flowing through my veins for a reason.

So I would use this to destroy Ronan. 

His body burst into tiny atoms, his form ripped from reality as I concentrated on ripping this maniac to shreds. He deserved to burn. Deserved to suffer for his despicable sins and the lives he so wrongly destroyed. 

That's when Peter noticed the glowing stone that was falling to the ground. 

To which he launches himself forward and grasps the stone for a few agonizing seconds. His screams making me cringe and cower away as he suffers from the power that consumes him. 

It takes Gamora to contain the power stone in the holder we designed to relieve him from the power that would have destroyed him if he had held it any longer. 

Everyone let out a sigh of relief. 

Ronan was gone!

The stone was contained. 

I could hear my heart beat thumping in my ears, as it gradually slowed and stuttered after all the trauma that my body had been inflicted upon the past few days. Why did I always have to be the one hurt. 

"Freya!" Peter screams. Panic consuming him as he rushes towards me. Kneeling at my side with his shaking hands caressing my sweaty face. Brushing my wild hair from my face. Kissing my forehead as tears begin to cascade down his filthy face, "Come on, Princess. Stay with me!" Peter's voice cracking at the end. Desperation evident as his shaking fingers dance over my cheeks and his thumb over my blood covered lips.

"You're all I have," He cries, his forehead resting against mine. Gently placing a kiss there when he notices my closed eyes. Sobs shaking his entire body as he buries his head in my neck. His cries reaching the small crowd that had gathered around the lovers. 

Watching with tears in their eyes, Gamora, Drax and Rocket grieve for the loss of their friends. For Groot- the selfish and resilient Flora- Colossus that had sacrificed his life to save his fast growing friends. 

And for Freya- the mysterious, all powerful, wife of Peter Quill. Who now lay motionless in his arms as he cried over his best friend; and the most passionate lover across the stars.