far and away | quill

ten

Ship.

They boarded the ship as soon as he'd grabbed his things (including his cloaks, boots, and - most importantly, the Time Stone necklace).

"How did you get your telepathic power?" Stephen asked her simply.

Rocket dropped his cup of tea, causing a splatter of glass and hot tea on the floor of the ship.

"My floor-"

"You're telepathic?" Rocket's eye twitched as he interrupted Peter.

"Yeah, she is. Clean this up before it stains the floor," Peter's voice was strained with irritation.

"You knew," Rocket looked at Peter, ignoring the order, "Betrayal," he whispered erratically.

Rocket turned on the balls of his feet, to Groot, "Did you know?" His finger was pointed at his tree-like friend.

Groot glanced at Quinn and looked back at the raccoon with his arms in the air and nodded slowly.

"Sabotage!" Rocket exclaimed, she chuckled. "I can't believe you people; did Drax know too?"

His voice was breaking, she started to realize he was actually hurt. She nodded, "Yeah, he did. I was going to tell you, I swear."

"But you didn't. Even the tea guy gets to know before me," he crossed his arms.

"She didn't tell me," Stephen interrupted. Rocket looked up to him, furrowing his brow, "I could just tell."

Rocket frowned and dropped his arms. He sat in the booth, slouched low and pouting. Groot proceeded in stroking the animal's head and neck in an effort to calm his anger.

"I found out after I killed the first guy," Quinn answered Stephen's question finally. She knew how he got his. She was there while it unfolded.

"What's it like?" his voice dropped as they walked towards the sitting area.

"Not everything they make it out to be. I get the feelings that are tied to the thoughts, and I don't usually mean to receive either of them. They just kind of come. It's horrible; like double over in agonizing pain, horrible."

He nodded, what could he say?

"I'm fine. You know that right? I'm still Quinn, I'm still me. Except now I have a clouded conscience and the Corps have a record on me," she explained as he sat, knowing she'd read his own thoughts already. "And what about you? How's bending space and time?"

"It's a lot of responsibility," he paused, "And a grueling task. But it's nothing compared to telepathy. I'm sorry you had to go through it alone," they stood near the bunks.

"I didn't though, I had James," she paused, "He's no you though."

He smiled, "I bet you have some pretty amazing stories to tell me to kill some time?"

"Sure," they sat on the couch, "I'll start with the one we're living in." And she told him the whole gist of it: the 'abduction,' the turn in and break out, the jungle and Gamora, the temple and Drax's 'death' (though she couldn't quite tell anyone he was, in fact, still alive; not even Stephen), and finally the Stone.

He nodded and called to Peter, "Where are we going now?"

Peter turned to look at them, "Ontario, of course. We have to get Gamora, then we'll head to Eerie and get the Stone. We'll fix it with your help, Doctor. And all will be well."