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[alivingweapon]

[[ Just a long moment of silence (and a blank screen if appropriate, followed by a beep. ]]

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[alivingweapon]

Peter.

[ Said with the sort of tight anger in her voice that means an ass kicking may well be in his near future. ]

[zunesareawesome]

I didn't. I swear I didn't.

[He's much more certain, now.]

[alivingweapon]

[ The fight leaves her voice in a flash, just as quickly as it cake, and the grief settles in again. ]

I know. I know, I'm sorry--

[ She doesn't apologize often. This is just too much for them, too much pain. ]

Peter, I can't.

[zunesareawesome]

[He knows that grief, he knows that sound it takes, he knows exactly what she means. She was there, she saw everything, and he knows...]

Then don't. Just...

[His voice catches.]

I'm here. Just stay on the line with me a little longer.

[alivingweapon]

I'm not going anywhere.

[ Is that really a promise she can make, though? Is that a promise any of them can make, given what's just happened? ]

Will you play me a song?

[ Never mind that she's the one with the Zune. He can still choose. He can tell her what to play, what she needs to hear right now. He's good at that. ]

[zunesareawesome]

Okay.

[Okay, that's...he can hold onto that.]

...Ain't No Mountain High Enough.

[He knows what she means, and he knows the list by heart. This one's good. This one's got good memories with it, too.]

[alivingweapon]

[ Gamora shifts and shuffles around, digging out the Zune with one hand and finding the song. She still hasn't let go of Rocket. She's afraid that the moment she does, he will disappear. It's too much.

She starts it playing without much trouble and closes her eyes against the pressure and sting of the desire to cry. Why can't she keep them all? Why can't she keep them safe? ]

[zunesareawesome]

[He's quiet as the song plays, but he really does cry, and does his best not to let any sounds of it make it through the connection.

It was the time for music, and music helped. Music healed, even if he wasn't ready for healing yet.

He knows so well the importance of music at a time like this.]

[alivingweapon]

[ Her breathing is shaky. She's showing way too much of what makes her soft and breakable to people she doesn't truly know yet, but Stephen. He stopped, dropped his things. Rocket went down, and he nearly froze himself trying to save her friend. That makes him one, too, doesn't it? So maybe it's all right to let him see her cry.

She wants to be stronger than this, though. She wants to not have to say to Peter what she says next, to not have to need to hear his reply. ]

Don't leave me again, all right?

[zunesareawesome]

All right.

[Hearing her say that, letting herself be vulnerable, knowing how difficult it was for her to let people in, is almost too much, and he's already crying enough as it is. There's almost a growl as he tries to wipe his face, clear his throat, and be the tough guy he wants to be--

--but he can't. Not really. He's not nearly as tough as he imagines he is.]

You don't gotta worry. I'm not gonna leave you.