Chapter 2

"THOR NO!" Loki cried. He was back on the destroyed ship, Thor's neck in Thanos's grip. Tears were streaming from Loki's eyes. The bone in Thor's neck had snapped, the sound made Loki cringe, and his eye was bulging out of his head. No matter how hard Loki struggled, he couldn't get to him. Thor was right there. Yet he still couldn't save him, despite all of his power. Loki stared into his brother's eye, filled with pain as the two of them struggled, longing to get to each other. "STOP IT!"

Loki gasped, his eyes popping open. His brother and Thanos were gone, instead replaced by a crudely coloured wall. Loki looked down. He was in a bed, but it wasn't his. Memories of yesterday instantly flooded back; he was with the Guardians on their ship, on the way to find Thanos in Knowhere. Loki rested his hand on his throbbing forehead. There was no way he was going to sleep now. Loki glanced at his armour. It laid on the ground, the individual pieces carelessly spread out on the floor. He pushed the blanket aside, allowing his bare chest to feel the cool air of the ship. Pushing his way out of the room, Loki glanced around the empty ship.

"I need to ask a favour." It was Gamora's voice. Concealing his presence, Loki crept forward, getting a good view of Gamora and Quill at the front of the ship. They appeared to be alone. However, Loki could sense Drax in the room as well. It didn't seem like Gamora and Quill noticed him, however, as they spoke to each other.

"Yeah, sure," Quill replied.

"One way or another, the path that we're on leads to Thanos."

"Which is what the grenades are for," Quill replied. Loki smirked. "Uh, I'm sorry. What's the favour?"

"If things go wrong… If Thanos gets me… I want you to promise me… you'll kill me." Loki's eyes widened.

"What?" There was a small pause.

"I know something he doesn't…" Gamora explained, walking by Quill. "And if he finds it out, the entire universe could be at risk." Her gaze was fixed on the floor.

"What do you know?" Quill asked, his eyes narrowing. Loki stepped closer, now interested as well.

Gamora glanced back at him. "If I tell you, you'd know too." There was another pause.

"If it's so important… shouldn't I?"

"Only if you wanna die."

"Why does somebody always have to die in this scenario?" Gamora stepped closer to Quill.

"Just… Trust me and possibly kill me."

"I mean, I'd like to. I really would. But you…" Gamora rolled her eyes, covering Quill's lips with her hand. It was somewhat a gentle act, as Gamora didn't grab him or even yell at him.

"Swear to me..." she whispered, staring into Quill's eyes. Loki had to step even closer to hear her. "Swear to me on your mother." Loki flinched at the thought of his own mother. Gamora removed her hand from Quill's mouth, her expression full of desperation.

"Okay," he murmured, nodding. Gamora stared at Quill, a tear dripping loose from her eye. Quickly, she wiped it off. "Okay," Quill repeated. Gamora stepped closer, pressing her lips against Quill's. The two closed their eyes. Gamora rested her hands on Quill's chest and the kiss continued. Loki found himself watching intently. He was about to reveal himself when a crunching sound filled the air. Quill and Gamora pulled out of their kiss, glaring at the source of the noise: Drax, eating a bag of food.

"Dude. How long have you been standing there?" Quill asked.

"An hour," Drax murmured.

"An hour?"

"Are you serious?" Gamora grunted, letting go of Quill.

"I've mastered the ability of standing so incredibly still…" Drax was still whispering. "That I become invisible to the eye. Watch." Drax slowly lifted a nut from his bag.

"You're-You're eating a zarg-nut," Quill stated.

"But my movement… was so slow…" Drax continued to move and talk at the pace of a snail. "That it's imperceptible." Loki glared at the blue man. And I thought Thor was an idiot.

"Mmm, no." Quill and Gamora shook their heads. Loki silently agreed. Drax was now finally eating the zarg-nut.

"I'm sure I'm invisible."

"Hi, Drax," Mantis greeted, with a bright toothy smile.

"Damn it," Drax muttered, finally giving up and walking away.

"Well guess what I've mastered the ability of?" Loki smirked, revealing himself. Quill and Mantis jumped at his sudden arrival, Mantis even letting out a squeal. "Real invisibility."

"How long were YOU there?" Quill asked, rolling his eyes. "And why aren't you wearing a shirt?"

"Your entire conversation and I didn't feel like putting one on," Loki answered each question. "Any more questions?" Everyone continued to stare at him. "I have one. Where are we?"

"Um…" Quill sat in one of the seats, pressing a few buttons on a machine. "We're getting close to Knowhere."

"I'll go find Groot and Rocket," Gamora replied, already stalking off. Loki conjured up his armour. A fit of laughter immediately erupted from behind him. Loki glared at Drax.

"What?" Loki snarled. Quill glanced up at him, prompting a snort. "WHAT?!" he repeated.

"Your helmet," Drax laughed, pointing at him. "It looks completely stupid." Loki's eyes narrowed.

"It is a little over the top," Quill snickered, his hands slipping around on the control pad.

"Would you rather I die because I don't have something to protect my head?" Quill and Drax looked away, their eyes wide. Gamora rushed back in with Rocket and Groot. All of them rushed to their respective seats on the dashboard, strapping themselves in. Loki stood on the sidelines. Ahead of them, was Knowhere, a planet populated seemingly by nothing but garbage and broken ship parts.

"This place looks deserted," Quill commented.

"I'm reading movement…" Drax informed, tapping some sort of screen in front of him. "In the third quadrant."

"Yep, I'm picking that up too," Quill replied. Loki glanced at him. Were you really? "Let's put down right here." After a few moments, the ship landed with a small thud. The bottom hatch opened. The Guardians made their way down the stairs, grabbing their respective weapons. Quill, Rocket, and Groot pulled out their guns, while Gamora and Drax pulled out various blades. Loki followed them down, summoning his daggers. He trailed after Gamora.

"I don't have it," a distant voice cried.

"Everyone in the galaxy knows you'd sell your own brother…" Loki recognized the second voice immediately: Thanos. His jaw clenched. Loki crept after the other Guardians, struggling to keep his rage bottled up. "If you thought it would add even the slightest trinket… to your pathetic collection." Ahead of him, Quill skidded to a halt. Everyone else, however, walked past him so Loki followed their lead. They all slunk to different hiding places: Gamora behind the wall, Drax behind some glass (like an idiot), Rocket behind Star-Lord, etc. Loki concealed his presence, gazing out at the scene before him. Thanos was indeed there. The Collector laid on the ground beside the lumbering titan, shaking with fear.

"I know you have the Reality Stone, Tivan. Giving it to me will spare you a great deal of suffering." Thanos pushed the Collector against the ground with his foot. The old man flinched.

"I told you," he gagged, struggling beneath the titan. "I sold it. Why would I lie?"

"I imagine it's like breathing for you," Thanos taunted.

"Like suicide," The Collector added. A smile formed on Thanos's face. Loki stepped back, a wave of fear suddenly taking him over.

"So you do understand," the titan mused, glaring down at the Collector. "Not even you would surrender something so precious."

"I didn't know what it was."

"Then you're more of a fool than I took you for."

"It's him," Drax murmured. Loki ignored the comment, not fully understanding it.

"Last chance, Charlatan." Thanos pushed down on the old man harder, causing more hoarse sounds to come out. "Where's the stone?"

"Today…" Drax muttered, his eyes narrowed.

"Drax, Drax." Loki glanced at Quill. His eyes were wide. At that moment, Loki realized that Drax was here for the same reason he was: revenge.

"...he pays for the deaths of my wife and daughter." Drax continued.

"Drax, wait," Quill whispered, his eyes wide. Drax pulled an extra knife out of his boot. The sound of it was so loud compared to their whispering it was like nails on a chalkboard. "Not yet, not yet, not yet," Quill begged. Drax glared at Quill, before turning to walk away. Revealing his presence, Loki slunk after him, the others behind him as well. Quill slipped in front of Drax, murmuring his name but Drax kept going, pushing Quill along. "He doesn't have the stone yet. If we get it, then we can stop him. We have to get the stone first. Yeah?"

Drax shook his head. "No," he murmured, gripping his knives even tighter. "No. For Ovette, for Camaria." Drax shoved Quill aside. Before Drax could continue, Mantis lunged forward, pressing her hand against the back of his head.

"Sleep," she whispered. Drax's eyes were hazy before he flopped to the floor. The sound of metal clanking beneath Drax pierced the air like a knife on the ears. Loki cringed. He ducked with everyone else, his heart racing. There was a pause. Then the sound of oversized footsteps echoed through the room. Shiiiit.

"Okay," Quill whispered, turning to the others. "Gamora, Mantis, you go right." Quill pointed his gun one direction. Gamora went the other. "The other right." Gamora leaped from the hiding place, drawing her sword and letting out a yell. Loki peeked out from behind some rubble. Gamora swung at Thanos. Her first strike only sliced through the air. She swung again, only for Thanos to grab the blade, slicing in half in his fist. Gamora shoved another blade right into Thanos's neck, drawing blood. He let out a groan. Gamora pulled out yet another knife, and shoved it into Thanos's chest. Loki's heart lit up.

"Yes!" he cheered. Gamora backed away. However, she still kept her blade aimed at Thanos, ready for another attack. Thanos glanced at the blade in his chest. He pulled it out, gripping his bleeding neck.

"Why?" he asked, falling to the ground on his knee. Then he fell on his back against a glass containment just behind him. Gamora lowered her weapons. "Why you… daughter?" Thanos groaned, reaching toward her. Loki couldn't help but grin at the sight of Thanos in pain. There was a clank. Loki glanced at Gamora, who had dropped her weapon. Then she huddled toward the ground, her face hidden behind her long hair. Loki's smile faded as sobs pierced the air. Gamora had acted so tough and no-nonsense that Loki was actually stunned to hear her cry. Thanos went limp. In front of Loki, Drax stood up. He and the others gazed at the scene, their eyes wide.

"That was quick," Quill deadpanned.

"Too quick," Loki replied, raising an eyebrow. He shot a glance at the Collector, who after a few moments, began clapping.

"Magnificent! Magnificent! Magnificent!" he cheered.

"Is that sadness I sense in you, daughter?" Loki flinched as Thanos's voice filled the air. He glanced around. However, the titan was nowhere to be seen, apart from the corpse. "In my heart, I knew you still cared." The corpse disappeared with a red flare, that then spread to the air. "But one never knows for sure." As the red spread through the air, it brought fire with it and the collector disappeared, waving through the window. "Reality is often disappointing." In front of Gamora, Thanos appeared. "That is, it was. Now…" Thanos lifted his gauntlet, revealing a red stone in one of the holes. "Reality can be whatever I want." Loki was too stunned to move. Gamora stood up, gripping her knives in her clenched fists.

"You knew I'd come," she replied, narrowing her eyes.

"I counted on it. There's something we need to discuss, little one." Gamora turned around, grabbing her sword. Before she could do anything, Thanos grabbed her by the back of her neck, lifting her into the air. For a brief moment, Gamora was replaced with Thor. Loki flung himself from his hiding place, letting out a cry. Drax leaped beside him.

"Thanos!" he exclaimed, gripping his knives. Loki met Thanos's gaze. He froze in place. His brief rage melted away, leaving just a shaking, wide-eyed husk. Drax rushed toward the titan. Thanos pointed the gauntlet at him, and a red spark fired from it. Loki took the attack as a chance to hide, ducking behind the nearest piece of rubble. He made his helmet disappear so he was unseen. His heart pounded in his chest. I can't do this. The attacks came again. Loki didn't know who it shot and he was too scared to look.

"Let her go, Grimace," Quill's voice came. Loki glanced above his spot. Quill pointed a gun at Thanos, slowly approaching him. Taking a deep breath, Loki stood. He slipped into the fray, daggers shaking in his hands as he approached.

"Peter," Gamora gasped.

"I told you to go right," Quill replied, glancing down at her.

"Now?! Really?!" Gamora exclaimed.

"YOU LET HER GO!" Quill shouted, gripping his gun.

"Ah, the boyfriend," Thanos mumbled. Gamora struggled in his grasp, only for Thanos to grip her tighter.

"No." Quill stepped closer, his eyes narrowed. "Like to think of myself more as a Titan-killing, long-term booty call-let her go."

"Peter."

"I'm gonna blow that nutsack of a chin right off your face," Quill snarled, taking another step.

"Not him…" There was a long pause, as Quill and Gamora simply stared at one another. Loki lowered his daggers, intent on the scene before him. "...You promised. You promised." Gamora had descended into sobbing. Loki felt a pang of sympathy. Unlike him, Gamora did have a lot to lose: her love, her friends, and possibly more, yet she was the one who had to die to keep Thanos from getting all six Infinity Stones. Loki gazed around the flaming battlefield. Mantis, Drax, Rocket, and Groot were nowhere to be seen.

"...Oh, daughter. You expect too much from him," Thanos grumbled. Loki took a few, shaking steps closer to Quill. "She's asked, hasn't she?" Loki's heart stopped. "Do it." Quill did nothing. Thanos rolled his eyes, pushing Gamora closer to the gun. "DO IT!" Loki staggered back. Taking a deep breath, he stepped back beside Quill.

"Quill, this is our only chance," he murmured into Quill's ear. "I know it hurts, but you have to do it." Quill didn't respond. He didn't even show any signs of hearing Loki. "I can do it if you can't," Loki offered.

"No," Quill grunted, resting his fingers on the trigger. "I… I'll do it." He raised the gun. However, he still didn't pull the trigger, staring at Gamora with tears in his eyes. "I told you to go right," he muttered.

"Are you kidding me, Quill?!" Loki snapped, stomping his foot into the ground.

"I love you more than anything," Gamora replied. Loki glanced at her, his eyes wide with surprise.

"I love you too," Quill sighed, clenching his teeth. His hand was on the trigger but the shot still never came. Finally, Loki had enough.

"OH FOR GOD SAKE! GIVE ME THAT!" Loki yanked the gun away, pushing Quill's fingers off as he gripped it.

"LOKI NO!" Quill snapped, reaching for the gun. Loki shoved Quill away, making him stumble to the ground. Turning to Gamora, Loki closed his eyes and pointed the gun at her face. Cringing, he slammed his hand on the trigger. However, no shot came. Opening his eyes, Loki let out a gasp. Bubbles were streaming from the gun, harmlessly passing by a still shaking Gamora. Then the gun fazed into bubbles as well. Quill stood up beside Loki, also letting out a gasp. Loki's eyes widened as his gaze shifted toward Thanos.

"You fool," he chuckled. A cloud of smoke appeared behind Thanos and in an instant, Thanos and Gamora both disappeared in it. Drax, Mantis, Rocket, and Groot reappeared in front of Loki and Quill. However, none of them moved. They stared at the place where Thanos had disappeared with wide eyes, the only sound that filled the air was their collective panting.