A/N: I feel like I changed something important and can't spot it. But no worries when I go back and do the editing for the whole story I will fix it. Until then, enjoy.
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Twenty-eight:

                The sum of eight and 20 : four times seven. Being one more than 27 in number, 28, countable persons or things not specified but under consideration and being enumerated.

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It had taken Beast a long while to fully figure out how to work the cleansing pod system aboard the ship, mainly because in truth he couldn't recall using one since before he was put under the influence of a fluid induced sleep. Which brought to mind a few questions: 'What had the council really been doing to him while he was incapacitated? And why had he not needed to go to the bathroom for all those years he was out? Or had he and he just hadn't noticed because he had help?'

Just the thought of someone besides Iris, touching his bits had a chill shimmering across his skin.

'Only my little one will be allowed to feel the rush of my life beneath my skin, it was all to her pleasure anyways. And if someone had in the past, he couldn't remember.' As far as Beast was concerned, he was still untouched. In his Galaxy it was common to wait for ones mate, and anyone who didn't would be seen as unfit for the mating rituals. It was something his people prided themselves on, or at least they used to. Even he, being a child of disgrace, had learned the in and outs of mating and how one should cherish it. This was one of the reasons why he struggled at first with the idea of Iris with another...

But maybe where she was from it was common. Strange to him and yet common to them. On his planet, where most would've lost their innocence around the cycle of sixteen blood-moons, here he was, age unknown, and still as timid as the day he was induced to sleep.

'How long ago had that been?' Beast wasn't even sure anymore.

After what felt like a half moons day Beast had finally gotten Iris thoroughly cleansed. He even took the time to finger comb through her soft curls until they were laid flat against his hold. Beast did his absolute best to respect the fact that Iris was unconscious and tried not to stare too long at her naked body. And when he brought Iris back to her room, he even took the shifting sheet that was wrapped securely around him, disconnecting it from his waist before wrapping his Iris firmly inside. He did not desire for her to become cold, he could tell from the feel of her skin that her becoming cold would not work out in his favor. Infact, there was a heat to her skin that was uncommon to him.

All of his people had been cold to the touch, but not his little one. She was warm like the suns of Zyran.

Sighing, Beast wished for Iris to awaken. He felt as if there was so much that needed to be addressed, and yet the biggest issue was one he was truly afraid to approach.

'What if Iris desired only the one who graced her with all male heirs?...Eric.' Beast scoffed at just the thought, anger tumbling through him causing a growl to ripple from his chest. Beast just needed to reaffirm to Iris that he was who she was designed for, regardless of her past and his undesired absence. They were meant to be together and nothing could change that; at least not for him.

And so Beast sat patiently quiet on top of Iris's makeshift bed. His legs stretched out widely in front of him so that Iris could be cradled against the base of his heat, his arms wrapped firmly around her waist as to keep her from tossing and turning in her dreamed state, his back rested firmly against the steal wall of her room while she was splayed across his chest. His mind roaming...

As more time seemed to pass, Beast began to get nervous, he wanted nothing more than to get the conversation over with. Plus, there was the little fact that every time Iris took a deep breath and exhaled, her chest would expand in a way that would brush her hardening nipples against the Beast's naked chest. Unfortunately, the sheet that she was currently wrapped in did very little covering when only wrapped once.

'Heavens, he should've made it so that she was drowned in the sheet. Maybe then he wouldn't be in such a frenzied state now.' Each breathe sent a delightful rover of shivers traveling through Beast's system, straight towards his groin. His body lengthening and hardening almost instantly. His mind conjured up images of how different this situation could be if she would just wake up.

But even in sleep Iris responded to his body; her legs suddenly widen out, encircling his thighs in a hold, her arms gripping around his sides, a sultry moan left her lips as her back simi-arched to brush her nipples against him again, this summoned a wild response from him. The striking scent of darkened woods and vivalin flowers permeated the air around the Beast.

'Oh, skies above.'

His body was preparing for a mating. How did he know? Well, besides the smell of his mating scent caressing the air, his heart had tripled it's speed in such a short time that Beast was sure the others aboard the ship could hear its tune. Beast couldn't even help the second moan that left his lips as Iris's body reacted again to his pheromones, her nose burrowing even closer to his skin, her hips moving with a seductive purpose to grind against him, her lips parting to expell a shaky breath across the skin of his nipple...

'Great, now that makes three things on my body suddenly hard.' Beast thought to himself as he tried to re-adjust Iris so that she wasn't totally resting against him. He needed to reign all of his emotions in before he did something that would only push Iris away from him.

Though he desired nothing more than to take from the body of his mate, what Beast wanted to give her would mean forever for him. And he wouldn't allow their forever to be graced or started with Iris unaware of what was happening. 

When Beast finally succeeded in flipping their bodies and laying Iris flat against the mattress, her eyes shot open wide. Shocked at not only their position but the achiness between her thighs. Even her breast felt heavy with need. What the hell?

"What are you doing?" Iris questioned in reference to their sudden position. Beast was now propped above her, Iris caged beneath him, his chest and arms keeping him close, their legs tangled in a heap of limbs and the sheet.

"I-I- You were sleeping." Beast stuttered, his cheeks shading a tinted black to show his embarrassment.

"Yes, obviously. But why are you above me? And... Where are my clothes? Wait. Are you-" Iris hands had moved up to the stranger's shoulders to push him back a bit, her words pausing as the move caused the naked length of his body to spring into view. And my, what a body it was. Iris moved quickly. Her hips and legs shifting in an effort to cover him back up, as they encircled his waist. "Oh my God, you are NAKED!" She exclaimed in shock, her mind not even fully processing her actions as she tugged him closer to hide thus nakedness.

A moan was suddenly sounded against the base of her throat, the Beast's nose traveling the length of her throat until his mouth rested softly against her ear. "Little one, it is perfectly normal for both you and I to be as we are with one another. Everything of mine belongs to you, including my body so you shouldn't be ashamed of it, same as everything of yours belongs to me." Beast said so naturally innocent as he cuddled into the heat of her body. He loved calling her 'little one' because compared to his size she was exactly that.

Closer and closer he tugged Iris against him, until both would be able to recognize each curve and edge of the other.

Iris couldn't help the squill that left her lips as she felt the weight of his erection pressed dangerously into her thigh. 'My God, was he blessed or was he blessed?!' Iris's inner naughty girl quirked as she tried to understand what he was saying."Wait, what exactly are you saying?"

"Both you and I... We were designed for one another. Do you not feel it? I dreamed of the day I would meet you, but I knew not how you looked. Not until more recently. My very own mate, the person created and designed just for me." As Beast spoke he sat up on his elbows, his voice deep and manly as it rumbled from the air of his lungs into the space around them. His right forefinger trailing from the length of Iris's collar bone all the way up to her bottom lip in amazement. "I will cherish every fiber of you."

"Wait, wait, wait," Iris once again forgetting that they were both basically naked, sat up causing Beast to move slightly away in a sitting position. His muscular arms, chest and stomach abruptly on full display  caused Iris's throat to go dry.

He wasn't even ashamed of his nakedness, not that he needed to be. His body was beyond top notch.

As Iris allowed her eyes to travel the wicked path of his delicious abs, realization hit her,"-Oh my, cover up!" She yelled tossing the bottom of the sheet over his hips. The top of the sheet she stretched to blanket over her face. The embarrassment of the situation caused her cheeks to burn red. I mean, yes she's seen a man naked... Well, to be honest she wasn't really sure you could count Eric since it was that whole weird dream state. But nevertheless she had watched tons of movies where there was questionable scenes but none had or would ever equal up to the sight before her.

The man before her was simply magnificent.

"Iris," Beast countered, his voice low and soft as he stood silently from the bed. "Do you not like my body?" He felt childish for asking such a trivial question, especially since she was his mate. Of course, she had to like his body, he was made for her to like. But maybe that Eric being had something he did not, or maybe that lab he had been stuck in for all those years had done something irregular to his body.

Glancing down at himself, Beast figured he had a regular enough looking shape. He had personally never seen another male naked so he really didn't know what to compare. And it wasn't like he had seen a females body either. Maybe Iris was horrified because they wouldn't be able to fit together.

...But they were mates, they had to fit.

Glancing down again, Beast took in the bulk of ridges at the base of his groin and the two sets of sacs beneath it. Those were a bit strange to him but they did not feel foreign... But how could he know for sure? With this thought Beast huffed out his anger at what the lab had done to him, his eyes staying glued to his own privates. The last time he had actually taken note of his own bits had been when he was just a boy. But now he was larger, much larger, and his mate was disgusted by the sight of him. The lab had to have done something to him, if his mate did not find him desirable. "Will we not fit together? Is this why you do not desire to see me?" He questioned seriously.

Surprise had Iris dropping the sheet from her face, his voice sounded so vulnerable, "What? No-I mean yes... I-This is just not normal. Back on Earth, where I'm from it's not appropriate to be so...um, naked in front of people. Although some don't care, others for the most part d-do." Iris stuttered out doing her best not to look at his bottom half as she spoke.

"So I will fit and they have not deformed me? You desire me?" Beast questioned wanting verification.

"Okay, this is definitely not the conversation we need to be having." Iris said as he stepped closer to her and his meat lifted with new purpose.

"I just need to know that they have not done anything that would make me.. not desirable to my mate." Though Beast spoke in a soft way his frustration at the situation could still be read in his tone. His arms gesturing towards his privates as he finished his words.

It was the sincerity behind his voice that allowed Iris the permission to trail her eyes over his still thicken length. She tried her best not to look so surprised at the sight of the two sets of balls that hung heavily from his groin. He even had a base of oddly dark ridges that sat perfectly against the thickness of his length. And to not mention his size would be a waste to the world. He was long in length, reaching at least mid-thigh erect. And just a f.y.i, his thighs were longer than normal due to his mountainous height. His girth, Iris was sure she couldn't wrap her hand around it...

Gosh, she couldn't believe she was about to comment aloud about it, " Y-You are very desirable. Um, very big and um thick? It looks v-very smooth looking and ha-hard." Iris was blushing so hard, she was sure if she started packing her cheeks in fancy boxing she could get a line going with Mary-K cosmetics.

"And big, thick, smooth, and hard is desirable?" Beast asked seriously. No one had ever really had a sexual conversation with him, though mates were discussed. Maybe if he would've had a regular childhood he wouldn't feel so vulnerable asking his mate these things.

"Um, yes. To most women." Iris answered though her throat had suddenly became dry again.

"I do not care for these most women, I wish to know do you, as my little mate, desire me?" Beast asked. 

"I think we should establish the mate conversation first before we jump-" Iris tried but was cut off.

"-Iris." Beast interjected seriously.

"Yes. Okay, yes. I desire you, you're very desirable even with your two sets of balls, and your weirdly shaped ridges, and your extra hot abs, sexy beard, and your ultra hot 'do-me' eyes. You are still very much desirable to me. Now, can we maybe, go back to the conversation from before?" Iris offered embarrassingly. Here, she was with three kids and yet talking to this man made her feel like a innocent little ol' virgin.

Beast smirked, his mate liked him. A lot. "Which conversation do you wish to have, my Iris?"

"You know what, let's make this simple. My name is Iris, what's yours?" She said double securing the sheet across her chest while offering the other end for Beast to cover with.

"I know who you are my beautiful mate. But if this pleases you, I will play along. I am Beast." He said as he sat in front of her on the bed and placed the offered corner of the sheet over his lap, mainly because he knew it pleased his mate.

"Beast?" Iris questioned.

"Yes, it is what I am called." He answered.

"Well, I don't want to call you that. What's your real name?" He had to have a real name, Iris rationalized.

"That is my real name." Beast said a little confused and slightly annoyed. He knew who he was, what was his mate trying to imply?

"It may be what you were called at one point in time but it's not your name. So tell me, were you like a Malcolm, a Dean, a Alexander, a Eric-"

A growl fell from his lips, "You wish to call me by the name of the male who sired your children?"

"No! I just, it was more me just offering common names from my planet." Iris exclaimed.

"I am Beast, you will call me Beast, or love, or mate, or caring partner. " Beast suggested angrily.

"Okay, you know what, next question. How do you know I am your mate? I've been aboard this ship and around enough people to know what a mate is but how do you truly know?" Iris asked trying her best not to roll her eyes.

"Because I have felt you, your emotions, your nearness. I have called to you, pined for you. And though a lot of time has passed, and I have advanced you in age, and you have sired mixlings with... another, my love for you has not simmered even in my anger, it ignites with every scent of you I recognize." The look in his eyes was one of un-faltering love, devotion, and contentment. It shocked Iris. He spoke of love, but barely knew her.

"You don't know me and I don't know you. And as you've said, I've sired children with Eric."

"I have already physically bonded with two of your boys, it will only take time to establish with them who I am and what I will be to them. We were made for each other Iris, there will never be another to love you like I can and I would rather expire than experience life without you now."  Beast said surely as he grasped Iris's hand tightly in his own.

Iris couldn't lie and say she felt nothing for him because that would be a total lie. She felt a lot... But not just for him.

"I- I don't know what to say. This is all so sudden. I'm lost. Well, I mean, I know we have a connection. I do feel something for you. I feel a lot of something for you but I don't know. And after everything I've been through this past year I think, I just need some time to think." Iris explained.

"Think about what? There is no thinking with mates, Iris. You simply are. Unless you do not desire to be with the other, is that what you are communicating to me? Am I too late?" Beast released Iris's hand in his frustration. He couldn't explain the hurt he felt at her sudden indecisiveness. If she truly wanted him, would she not have chosen him by now? Weren't they supposed to mark and love each other at first sight?

"No, your not. I don't know how to explain this to you but I have a connection with-" Iris begun but was once again cut off.

"I don't care about Eric! He is not-" Beast ranted but was also cut off.

"It's not just about him! Drax is- the male I brought back to the ship, he means something to me too!" Iris paused after her admission. 

"Something like family? ...Or something as in you wish to be with him?" The tears pooling in Beast's eyes showed his anger so vivid Iris shook from the pain she felt in echo.

"I-I don't know." She wanted to explain but it seemed as if the more she spoke the more she hurt him.

"What do you know mate?! You keep saying that you don't know but this is an easy decision, do wish for me to be your mate or do you wish for someone else?" Beast yelled in anger. He couldn't understand this! And though he blamed everyone who had something to do with him being locked away, he couldn't help the annoyance at his mates decisions. He was here now, why couldn't she accept that?! He was here and he would do anything she wanted if it meant she'd choose him.

"It's not that easy a decision!" Iris yelled in response as both her and Beast stood facing each other. Neither concerned with his nakedness now.

"It is! I would choose you over thousands of others because you were made for me! You are mine! And I am yours! You cannot deny me like every other person in my life, you were made specifically for me..." The tears now dropped like silky reminders of his torture, his face mimicking that of a child's as he spoke. This caused a new wave of guilt to hit Iris. She didn't want to hurt him, she just wanted to explain everything.

"I'm not denying you, I'm just trying to be straight with you!" Iris wiped away at her own tears that seemed to fall from his pain, before continuing, "If I had met you first, above anyone else, things would be a lot more different. Easier. But right now I just don't know. Eric is, as much as I once hated him, he is my children's father and I still feel something for him in my heart. Drax saved me and my children, he was even there for their birth and he has risked his life to protect us! They even took his fucking tongue because of it! I'm not saying that you don't mean something to me because you DO! But they also matter to me. Even with my heart telling me you are mine and I am yours, I cannot just leave them behind. They are mine also." Though she had finally explained her feelings, Iris couldn't stomach the look in his eyes. Betrayal being the most evident.

The room was quiet as they both allowed Iris's words to simmer through the air until they evaporated in a heap of pain, anger, and confusion. It was like swallowing shredded metal to Beast and to Iris it was pure shock. She didn't know she truly felt that way...

A knock at the door had Iris clearing her throat, her body moving closer until the Beast's still frame was pressed against hers, her head against his chest, "I'm sorry, just give me a little time to figure this all out." She sniffled softly, trying to ease both of their pain.

"I can guarantee that in the history of mates, you are the first to ever say something of the like. How would you feel if it was me saying something like this to you? I have spent almost all of my life locked away like a caged animal, believing in the back of my head that if no one else would love me at least I would have my mate because she was meant to love me, to choose me, and cherish me. And mine can't even make up her damn mind on if she chooses her past or her future." Beast pushed Iris away gently, needing the space.

"Beast-" but Iris never got to finish her words because in the next second he was stalking from the room in all of his naked glory.

"Do I even want to know what was going on in here?" Michael asked as he stood in the doorway, shaking his head as he moved to sit the children on the floor in their designated play corner.

"He just-I.." Iris did her best to hold in her tears as her words continued to get caught in her throat, her body weakening until the point she dropped in a sitting position onto the edge of the bed.

"Shh, shh, it's okay. Take a deep breath and then tell me what happen." Michael said as he croached in front of her, his hands grasping her shoulders to try and calm her down. It was then he realized again their situation, "Actually, you know what, you get dressed first, I'll be over here, in the corner, facing the wall, with the kids, while you call for CReSin then we will talk." He laughed.

It seems Iris was also naked. Eck.

Within five minutes, Iris was clasped in a skin tight jumpsuit that CReSin had graced her with. Her back now pushed against the wall in the corner as both her and Michal played with the children. "Now, tell me what happened?"

"I don't know where to start." Iris said softly.

"Well, how about we just start with what the problem is?" Michael offered.

"He says he is my mate." Iris said.

"And this is a problem why?" Michael raised his eyebrow confused. He figured Iris would be happy with this but from the tears in her eyes and the way the stranger had stormed from the room, he was guessing this was not something good.

"Because...because I still feel something for Eric and for Drax." Iris admitted as she cuddled little Arrin closer to her chest.

"Eric?" Michael asked in shock.

"I know it's crazy but I can't help it!" Iris exclaimed.

"Iris- Iris calm down. I'm just a little confused because if that stranger is who he claims to be, then any feelings you would've had for anyone else would have disappeared the minute you laid eyes on him. Now with Drax, I can understand because you've both bonded through the shared blood. But with Eric? I figured that would have evaporated long ago." Michael explained.

"I can't explain it. I can't even distinguish between what I feel for each of them because I feel for all of them, as a whole. Dad, you should've seen his face. He was so hurt but I couldn't lie to him, he wanted me to just choose him but I can't do that. There is something wrong with me!" Iris was so caught up in her feelings that she hadn't even noticed she had went back to calling Michael 'dad'.

"Iris, calm down. We know that you are different, you have always been different. And now that your powers are beginning to awaken, maybe this is just a portion of that. Maybe you are able to have multiple mates." Michael suggested.

"Is that actually possible?" Iris asked.

"I'm not sure, you would be the first case I've ever heard of, but that doesn't mean it isn't true!" Michael exclaimed when he saw the look of disheartening cover Iris's features.

"But no one else has experienced it, I'm not that special for something like this to happen to me." She said frustratedly.

"Okay, answer me this, how do you feel about the stranger-" Michael begun.

"-Beast. His name is Beast." Iris interrupted.

"-okay, Beast. How do you feel about him?" Michael questioned, rolling his eyes subconsciously at the ridiculous name.

"I know he is Mine. My mate. Only mine. Always mine." As Iris spoke her eyes shifted allowing her powers to echo across her skin with a fiery light.

Okay, so Michael could tell from her reaction that Beast obviously meant a lot to her. Now to see about the others..."And Drax?" He questioned secondary.

"Drax is a part of me that I cannot let go. We are one in the same. He is mine also." Iris announced, almost as if her powers were speaking and not her concious self.

'Oookay, next.' Michael thought as he moved to the last person, "And Eric? How do you feel about him?"

"Eric is... Eric is mine. Mine only." As Iris spoke this time, Michael noted that her eyes shifted quickly from their fiery color before shifting back to normal, unlike the other times. "I think you are able to have multiple mates Iris."

"Then why did Beast get so upset?"

"I'm sure this is a first of him hearing of this also. Plus there is no doubt jealousy forming inside him, like it would with anyone else. Mates are never shared with anyone besides their other half but for some reason, you are able to mate with multiple people. Though you feel for them on different levels, he will struggle with this, you all will." Michael said calmly.

"How do I fix it?" Iris asked.

"You will need to dote on each one. Make sure they are all secure in their place besides you, even in multiples. And then pray that three will be all there is. I know I grew in size but I don't think I could handle any more of your males, if something happened aboard this ship." Michael said trying to get a smile from her but that only seemed to make her frown more.

"So you think there is a possibility there will be more than the three of them?! I need to stay inside, no more going out side. I can't chance another-" Iris said frantically.

"Iris, I was joking sweetie. It was just a bad joke. Relax." Michael laughed.

"Hardy-har-har," Iris croaked as another knock to the door caused them both to pause. "Enter." Iris said dryly.

As Eric stepped through the door way, Michael stood to his feet, "I'll leave you two to talk." As he spun to exit the room he glared at Eric, "and ONLY talk."

"That was the plan in the first place!" Eric said tiredly.

"Yeah whatever." Michael said as he left. Another round of silence surrounded the room for what felt like the millionth time in this particular day.

"So, I thought we should talk. You, me, and the big guy." Eric suggested as he sat on the floor besides Iris, his hands moving to play with ALL of the children

"Beast." Iris offered.

"Um, yeah, Beast. Where is he?" Eric asked.

"He... he stepped out for a moment."

Nodding his head, his hands folded, his eyes glued to the cubed tile on the floor, "Iris, I know I haven't always been the nicest, or made any of the best decisions when its came to me and you but I just, I want to apologise. I was stupid, I was jealous, I was an asshole, and I was hurt..." As he spoke he allowed his sorrow to show in his eyes, "Because at one point you were mine. All mine. Back on Earth, when I felt how different you were from the others around me, I tried to stay away. It's why we never talked. But then I, started to visit your dreams and they, well you know what happened. I'm so sorry I caused all this. If it hadn't been for me then-"

"-Its not exactly your fault Eric, I mean a lot of things are but my father would have still come for me. He waited until I was eighteen so that my powers would awaken. So as far as that, none of it is your fault." Iris said honestly.

"Yes, but the kids. I wasn't carefully, I shouldn't have touched you without your absolute knowledge in the first place and I should've used protection.  And I should've never treated them the way that I did. I will spend the rest of my life making it up to both you and them. I want to show you that I am worthy and-"

Worthy?

"Eric, stop. You don't have to make anything up to me. The children should be your number one priority.  I don't know what has changed but-"

"I love you." By this time Eric had already turned to face Iris, her hands grasped tightly in his own.

"W-What?" Iris asked shocked.

"I know you feel it to, I can hear your heart beating just as quick as mine, I can feel your emotions clouding your thoughts." Eric spoke softly as he leaned slowly towards her so that his face was but an inch from her beauty.

"Eric, no. Stop it. I don't know what I'm feeling right now and I would like it if you left." Iris said sternly.

"Iris, I know that you love me! I know that guy says he's your mate but I can't help how I feel. And sure I'm jealous but that doesn't change the fact that we feel something for one another. I love you too, Iris!"

"Eric-" Iris started to raise her voice.

"Passenger 05: Iris, the male inside the healing pod has awoken. Would you like for me to escort him to your current location? Or would you like to visit him inside the medbay?" CReSin suddenly appeared into the room.

Pushing Eric back, Iris stepped towards CReSin. "He's awake already?!"

"Healing Nanobots were disbursed inside his healing pod to establish his healing at a hundred percent rate rather than normal." CReSin answered.

"What the hell? Why did no one do this to Beast when he got here?! He could have been awaken a lot sooner!!" Iris said slightly annoyed.

"I am unsure of-" CReSin begun but was cut off.

"Nevermind that, it doesn't matter now. Keep Drax still, until I can come look him over. I'll be right there." As CReSin evaporated from the room Eric took the moment to grasp Iris's hand. "Iris."

"I can't talk about this right now, Eric. I don't know what you want me to say. You hurt me, a lot. And though you are sorry, and I can tell it's heartfelt, I need time to think. Beast is my mate. He knows that I... He knows that things are unsettled between me, you, and Drax and he is going to give me time. Which is the same thing I need from you: Time."

"How much time?" Eric questioned.

"I can't give you an answer to that." With quick hands, Iris scooped her children into the discarded basket in the corner and hefted them to the medbay. Her legs moving so fast she was sure she looked crazy rushing through the hall.

When she reached the door, her stomach chewed her heart up before  spitting it out into her throat. Her right palm unlocking the door and watching silently as it slid open.

And there he sat.

Drax was partially stood, his legs shot over the side of the healing pod, his muscular arms positioned against the edge to keep him hunched over, his fingers turning black from being clenched so tightly against the frame of the table, his white hair now cleaned thanks to the nanobots but caught up in an array of messy curls around his face. Tears fell from his no longer swollen eyes, cascading slowly down his perfectly healed cheeks until they swam in a curve to the roughly jagged cut that had once split his bottom lip and chin into two. Now only a thing black line remained.

"Oh my god, Drax!" Iris cried happily as rushed to his side. Quickly she sat the children inside the pod, near his hip before dragging his large frame into her arms. "I'm so glad you're okay." Iris cried into his chest but all she got was a hum in reply.

This broke her even more. Because Iris knew that the one thing she had prayed and hoped to heal... had not. And it meant she would never again hear Drax speak. "It's okay, it's okay." She cooed as his arms surrounded her in a tight embrace before he sagged in a silent cry.

Iris knew then she would never be able to let Drax go. He was broken and it was because of her.