Chapter Text
Peter and Stephen both sat in the living room, with Bats curled up by the fire. There was a distinct chatter coming from the room where the Guardians would be staying, but it seemed like they were the ‘somewhat dysfunctional family’ type, so arguing amongst each other would be a fairly common occurrence. Peter ignored it, for the time being, even though it was starting to grate on his patience. Eyeing Stephen, he could only imagine that it was doing ten times worse to the already-exasperated Doctor Strange. Letting so many people into his house must have been quite the chore.
Stephen of course was in his apparent favorite chair. He held a tea cup and took a sip from the glass, Peter guessing that the drink in it was tea.
“So, what’s the first thing you’re going to say to the people we revive?” Peter asked, thinking about the question himself, “I think I’m definitely going to give Aunt May the biggest hug ever.”
“Sounds like she was important to you…”
“Who’s gonna be the first one you hug?”
Stephen’s neutral expression dimmed, “I suppose that’s the problem. I don’t remember.”
Don’t remember?
Stephen must have been bluffing. If there was someone he wanted back from the dead to give them a hug, there was no way he’d forget who it was–
Oh.
It was him, wasn’t it? Did something about the memory spell erase Peter from everyone’s conscience like he had died?
“Awww, Doc, is it me?” Peter opened his arms, “Cause I love giving out hugs!”
“I don’t think so.” Stephen held the cup to his lips but didn’t drink. After a moment’s pause, he set the glass back down on its plate, setting both items down on the coffee table. “I’m not much of a hugger anyway, Peter.”
“Hm… Okay, well, firm handshake then.” Peter stood up to approach Stephen, his hand extended.
“I really don’t think it’s you.” Stephen returned the gesture with a cold stare.
Peter lowered his hand, thinking back to the time in school he learned about people with amnesia. There were many times they were reintroduced to close family members, or friends, and were certain that their family members looked differently, talked differently… Even though they were standing right before them.
The spell must have been no different. Deep in his heart, Peter blamed himself for the spell even more.
“We can cross the bridge of undoing the spell once everyone’s revived, huh?” Peter forced a smile despite his internal self-kicking, “Then you’ll remember how annoying I really am!”
“Perhaps. However, we need to revive everyone first.” Stephen got up from the table, and began to walk away towards the library.
Peter’s stomach churned There must have been some way to prove to Stephen that it was him he was missing! Then he wouldn’t have to be sad.
“Wait, I have one more question!” Peter rushed in front of him, seeing his expression drop to irritation, “Where’s your cape? I feel like you haven’t worn it at all.”
“It got torn in a battle, it’ll be repaired and back to me soon.” Stephen grabbed Peter’s shoulder, to push him aside.
Peter stood his ground.
“It’s meant to protect you from magic spells and stuff right? So maybe it will remember me.”
“It could, but I guess we’ll have to see when it gets back.” Stephen shrugged, “For now, I’d really prefer if I could get to my library.”
Just then, a yell came from the room. Peter and Stephen’s attention both snapped to the sudden noise.
“KID!”
Peter moved out of Stephen’s way, running to the room. Stephen followed shortly after.
“What’s wrong?!” Peter tried to open the door, but it was locked. “What’s happening?!”
The door handle jiggled frantically. Rocket’s voice came from inside. “Our pal’s in danger, we need you to make a portal to Knowhere so we can save him!”
“I don’t know how I’d make a portal to nowhere, but I can try if you open the door!” Peter also tried the door handle again.
“I’m trying!”
“Unlock it then!”
“You don’t think I tried that already?! It’s like it’s glued shut!” Rocket cried out. “Flarkin’ human doors!”
“Turn the little notch on the handle,” Stephen suggested, “It should open.”
“I figured that much!” Rocket growled, “It still won’t open!”
“We’re wasting time…” Peter yelled through the door, “Stand back okay?! I’m kicking it in!”
“Got it!”
Peter kicked the door with all of his strength, nearly overextending his knee. It didn’t budge.
“That didn’t do anything!” Rocket began to panic, “Oh, he could be dead by now!”
“Since when do you care about him? You’re always saying we should sell him.” Nebula’s voice leaked through the door.
“I DON’T MEAN IT!”
“If someone hurt our friend we will tear off their head!” Drax announced with confidence.
“I am Groot.”
Stephen stepped forwards and twisted the handle. The door opened.
“Oh.” Peter rushed inside. “What’s Knowhere? How do we get there?”
“Coordinates might help!” Rocket showed Peter a bunch of numbers on his phone-like device.
“A picture would be better.” Stephen added, stepping into the room, “And I’m probably the better one to make the portal.”
Peter exhaled. “Right, I forgot I’m not solo anymore.”
Rocket scrolled quickly, “Here!” He scurried up to Stephen, and showed him the picture. “That’s Knowhere.”
“Ah, yes. The head of the Celestial, correct?” Stephen drew his hands in a circular motion, opening a portal. “There you go.”
They leapt through it, ready for battle.
“Drax, Groot—go to HQ. Kid, Wizard and I’ll check the dock. Nebula, watch Quill with Mantis.” Rocket’s chest heaved, “I don’t trust a magic funhouse.”
“The Sanctum is completely safe-”
“A tuh tuh tuh! I don’t care.” Rocket waved him off.
Nebula gave Rocket a swift nod, then jumped back through the portal. It closed shortly after.
“Let’s meet back here once we find him.” Peter recommended, “Take away the time it would take to find everyone again.”
“Right. Now let’s get the flark over to the dock.”
Rushing as fast as their legs would take them, they found the dock. Many ships sat there, but there was no sign of the Milano.
Rocket began talking to himself, “Alright, if someone took him, I always keep a tracker on my buddies, so-” Rocket facepalmed, “Why wasn’t that my first idea?!”
“It still helps us now.” Peter reassured him.
“You’re right, that’s true.” Rocket started typing on a device, looking up to speak to Peter again, but no words came out of his mouth as he looked ahead.
“What?” Peter glanced behind him, expecting a monster even though his Spider-Sense wasn’t tingling.
A man was laying on the ground facing away from them. Completely unmoving, he could be mistaken for dead, if he wasn’t. His skin was golden, as was his hair. From the description Peter read from that book, it was unmistakable.
Adam Warlock.
“Oh no. Oh nononononono.” Rocket bolted towards him, immediately trying to shake him awake. “NO!”
“Don’t touch him.” Stephen barked the order, walking over to inspect him. “If he has any spinal injuries, you’ll just hurt him more.”
Rocket hesitated, then stayed close, opting to gently hold his friend’s head. Adam’s eyelids flickered as he was moved.
Peter watched Rocket cradle Adam’s head like a broken machine he couldn’t fix. And for a second, Peter wondered who would do that for him if something happened.
But, he abandoned the selfish thought, looking over Stephen’s shoulder while he worked. He could see lungs rising and falling underneath Adam’s skin. It was highly unnatural, and clearly his ribs were shattered.
“Fractured ribs, possibly spine, too.” Stephen analyzed.
“Something crushed him. Like a monster?” Peter looked at Rocket, “Are those here on Knowhere?”
“Sorta, but we’d know if an Abilisk was here.” Rocket explained, “The only thing that coulda taken our ship were those monsters we were fighting.”
An idea dawned on Peter. “Maybe it was their leader? But why Adam?.”
“To get the stone in his head you idiot-” Rocket’s expression dropped with realization. He grabbed Adam’s face with one of his paws, and used the other to push his hair back, showing where the stone should have been embedded.
There was instead an empty notch.
“Scut.” Rocket cursed, before shaking his head, “Well, we can care about a power-rock later. Is he gonna live?”
“If you stop moving him, yes. But we need to get him back to the Sanctum, now.” Stephen looked around, “Peter, find a solid object we could use to carry him.”
Peter glanced around, using a web to tear off a panel from a building. “How’s this?”
“Perfect.” Stephen levitated Adam onto the makeshift gurney. Peter cringed at the rice-crispy-like noise that Adam’s bones made even with a slight movement. He could only imagine that if he were awake, it would be excruciating.
Stephen carried Adam along, opening a portal.
“What about the others?” Rocket growled, “We’re not leaving without them too, those monsters are still out there.”
Stephen groaned, “I’ll leave a portal open at the meeting location. This is more urgent.”
“Good. I’ll let the rest of them know that we found him.” Rocket called up his team. When they picked up, he explained. “We found Golden Boy, but he’s hurt bad. We’re taking him back now. Portal’s up at the meeting place for you guys to get back.”
“Understood, Rodent. We will be there as soon as possible.” Drax responded.
“I am Groot.”
“Groot says hello.”
“Hey, Groot.” Rocket sighed, heading through the portal behind Stephen and Peter.
Back at the Sanctum, Nebula and Mantis rushed over. “What happened?”
“Monster, maybe.” Rocket stuck close to Stephen as he placed Adam on another bed.
Stephen worked tiredly on Adam, and Peter noted: Golden guy with space powers at a hospital? Not ideal, Sanctum was safer.
Attempting an IV bent the needle. Stephen took a brief look at the bent needle with his hands beginning to shake. “Skin is too tough. Need different tools.” He continued muttering to himself while summoning different medical equipment to use on Adam.
Rocket hovered behind Stephen, watching intently.
Peter finally spoke, knowing the situation might only grow worse as time went on. “If he has healing powers, what if we woke him up to use them?”
Stephen halted what he was doing. “That may work best.” He pointed at Mantis, “You have the empathetic powers correct? Wake him up.”