Guardians of the Galaxy One-shots and Preferences

A Mission Gone Wrong- Rocket

This was another request sent by GabrielaMillan2. Rocket has a nightmare about seeing the reader dying, reader comforts him, then the mission the Guardians go on the next day goes horribly wrong and read more to find out what happens.

Plenty of Angst. Enjoy.

------------Dream Sequence-------------

It was supposed to be a simple job; an easy task that could put fuel in the ship's tanks and food in your bellies.

Somehow, someway it all went very wrong. You and the Guardians were in the fight for your lives. You and Rocket got separated from the others.
Rocket got up front to shoot whoever was attacking the two of you; he managed to get the last of them. In your gratitude, you smile and are about to pull the furry rodent in for a hug, until you stop dead in your tracks. A knife had been lodged into your abdomen, blood gushes out and you fall face down dead.

---------------End Dream Sequence----------------

Rocket bolts up from his bed, too shocked to even scream from the horrible nightmare he just had. Quick pants came out of him. If he had sweat glands he would be drenched in cold sweat by now. He takes a quick look at his surroundings. He was back in the sleeping quarters on the ship. It was all nothing more but a bad dream.

Still, Rocket felt he needed to get up and look just to make sure. First he checks on Peter and Gamora, who were spending the night together in each other's arms. Then he checks on Drax, who's snoring could be heard from the other side of the ship. Next was Mantis who was so quiet one would think she was dead if were not for the constant rise and fall of her chest. Then there was Groot, who's tosses and turns and light snores were indicative that he was indeed still alive and well.

Finally Rocket stands at the door of your sleeping quarters. He still knew it was all just a dream, but he had to make sure, he needed to know that you were okay. Taking a deep breath, he knocks on the door, the lightest tap. No answer. He wanted to knock louder, but at the same time he was afraid to wake you up.
Rather than knock this time around, Rocket opens the door to see your sleeping figure on the bed. You looked so peaceful, and he wondered what you could be dreaming about judging from the small smile that crept on your face. Was it something nice? Something that took you far from reality to a place where everything was right with the world. After the night-terror he endured not more than half an hour ago, Rocket wished he could be part of what your dream.

He walks in as quietly as he could and stands by the side of your bed. He jumps up lightly so he could hang from the edge of the bedside. Rocket really didn't know what he was doing, but he just needed to know nothing bad was going to happen. He reaches for you and shakes your shoulder, just enough for you to be roused from sleep.
"(y/n)," he calls out in a whisper, "(y/n). Are you awake?"

Your groan a little and open one eye. It was dark and your vision was a little blurred, but you recognized the furry rodent anywhere. "Rocket?" you mumble, blinking a few times before rubbing some of the sleep from your eyes, "What...is it time to get up already?" "No, no it isn't," Rocket shakes his head, "I was...I couldn't sleep. Kinda hard to when Drax's snoring can be heard from the edge of the galaxy." You chuckle lightly in response, but you could tell there was another reason for Rocket's insomnia.

"Rocket, why are you really here?" you ask. It always surprised the rodent that you could always tell when something was wrong with him, even when he would try and cover it up with a crude joke or two. It took a couple moments for a response, but Rocket knew there was no point in trying to lie to you, "...I, uh...I kinda sorta had a bad dream." "Oh," you say in realization, "Do you...do you want to talk about it?" Rocket only shakes his head to tell you no.

"...Well, you can stay here if you want," you offer, painting the side of your bed for him. Rocket nods in acceptance and you scoot over to make some room (which didn't take much effort given how small he is).
There was silence between the two of you for awhile, so you were fixing to fall back to sleep when Rocket finally speaks up again, "I've...my bad dream was about you." "What you mean?" you question, "What exactly happened?" "...We went out on a mission," Rocket explains, "It wasn't anything special, business as usual for the likes of us. Then...that's where it all went wrong." "What do you mean?" you press, even though you could feel Rocket start to shake.

"...We got into a middle of a fight..." he continues, "You...you got hurt...and...and we couldn't save you. It was too late." It was getting harder to go on any further. You felt something wet on your sleeves, "Are you crying?" "What? No," Rocket denies, "I...I just have a little dust in my eye." "Rocket." "Okay, maybe I was," he concedes, "So what? It ain't the first time I've shed a tear or two. It was just felt so real." You pat him on the head, "I'm still here," you assure, "and far as I can see, I won't be going anywhere for a long time."

Rocket's eyes go wide at the sudden realization, "we have a mission a few hours from now." "Yeah," you nod, "I already know about that. It'll be just like the other ones we usually go on." Rocket would usually be confident about that, but after the nightmare he had to endure, he was having doubts, and he wanted so badly to keep you safe, "...maybe you should sit this one out," he suggests, "It's not a big deal, we probably only need like five or six of us." "You don't realize that's the entire team but me, right?" you deadpan. Rocket merely shrugs, "still that's all we really need." "Rocket." "I just don't want you to go, okay?" Rocket exasperates.

Your eyes widen at his sudden outburst. He takes a deep breathe, "I know how it sounds," he admits, "I know this is mission requires all of us to go. And I know this is just an ordinary mission. But a lot of things can go wrong, a lot can change in the blink of an eye. I...I just don't want to lose you." You understand what he meant. You press a reassuring kiss to his head, which surprised him a little, "I wouldn't want to lose you too. Much like how I wouldn't want to lose Peter or Gamora, Drax, Groot, or Mantis," you respond, "But Rocket, that doesn't mean we can't stop living. This is part of our lives, and yes there is risk to it, but it's nothing we haven't handled so far. Would you prefer if we spent the rest of our days cooped up on this ship or in some cave where nothing can hurt us?" Much as Rocket wanted to say otherwise, he knew what you meant, so he shakes his head to answer, "No, of course not." "Whatever happens hours from now, just know that you still have to keep on living," you tell him before falling asleep.

Rocket remains awake a little while longer, reflecting on what you said against what he remembered from his dream. He knew it wasn't prophetic, but the fears kept circulating. And he knew what you meant when you said you didn't want to lose him, but when he said it, he wanted to tell you so much more.

Maybe he shouldn't let take those nightmares to heart, maybe he should try and be optimistic for once. It's not anything could try and kill any of you on this mission.

Little do you or Rocket know, a few hours from now...

-----------Time Skip----------

"Why?" Was all Rocket could say as you lay on the ground with a knife in your gut, "Why didn't you listen to me?"

This was supposed to be a simple mission. It was supposed to be quick and easy. How did all go so wrong like in Rocket's dream.

You coughed up blood, and you felt dizzy from all the blood loss. You knew your time was almost at an end. You turn your gaze in Rocket's directions and weakly reach your hand to his cheek, "Keep...living," you weakly say, "For me...please...keep..."

Tears stream from his eyes as Rocket screams in grief and frustration. It hurt so much to lose you...

But it hurt even more that he never got the chance to say he loved you.