"So," Charlotte loudly interrupted the heated verbal battle between Peter and Gamora, "Me and my adorable furry friend of mine-"

"I am not cute. I am the evil in the shadows of the night, I am feared," Rocket snarled, his ears flattening against his head.

Sarcastically, Charlotte fondly smiled down at him. "Our plan is about 25% likely to work-"

"-75% chance to fail-" Rocket added.

"- However, it is the only plan we have. So we have to use it. There is literally no other choice," Charlotte continued.

Rocket and Charlotte looked at each other, having a stare down. They were silently debating on who would explain.

Charlotte seemed to have a much more threatening look than she thought. Rocket backed down first.

It occurred to Charlotte that their plan sounded much more idiotic out loud than when they were planning it between themselves.

The idea was to steal the mining ships down the block and use them to rid Ronan's goons. Rocket also added Nebula to the mix, creating a diversion in her honor. Gamora would appear to have the orb, in reality, it would be Charlotte who had it.

It definitely wasn't a surprise to anyone when Peter protested.

"It's the only plan we've got. I know what I'm about to do is risky. Honestly, when have I ever not done something risky? Besides, I've got nothing to lose-"

"You have me!" Peter bellowed.

Peter grabbed Charlie's small hands in his. "You've always had me, Charlie girl. You're the only constant thing in my life and I.."

There was a loud crash nearby that stopped him from continuing.

"I'm so sorry, Peter.. But you don't have a choice."

Charlotte ripped her hands out of his and gestured for Gamora to follow her.

Gamora moved forward and tucked the orb into Charlotte's satchel. In return, Charlotte rolled her mittens into a ball and put it in Gamora's jacket. At least it had the shape of the orb.

Charlotte thought she might puke for a couple minutes. In the moments leading to the execution of the plan, Charlotte had felt an unfamiliar feeling of panic.

Peter and Charlie always stirred up trouble on other planets. Though, they dealt with small battles like bar fights, not anything like an actual war. Weapons were usually broken beer bottles, not gems that could destroy planets.

It went without saying that the past few days were sort of an out of body experience for the duo.

"Charlotte, I would just like to say-" Gamora began.

Charlotte shook her head. "No need, my fellow lady. I assure you I will not be dying tonight. I am definitely not thinking about my last words.."

Gamora raised her eyebrow when Charlotte finished her ramble.

"Oh forget it," Charlotte mumbled, pushing back her hair. "Act like you've got the orb."

Charlotte ushered Gamora out to a mining ship. The two shared a hopeful nod.

After Charlie figured out how everything worked, she followed Gamora into the air.

Rocket and Peter immediately sandwiched her.

Pressing a button that served the same abilities as a cellular device, Charlotte bent forward to the speaker.

"Boys, I appreciate the concern, however, you're making it very obvious I have the orb. Back off."

The two lifted their ships higher, still keeping close to her ship.

Charlotte breathed out an annoyed sigh. While their protection was flattering, if Nebula figured that Charlotte had the orb, she would no doubt blame it on the idiots.

Charlotte's ship shook as Ronan's henchmen shot at it. She maneuvered the plane out of the way, dodging as many shots as she could. Her eyes flickered between the panel and the space in front of her.

"There isn't any weapons!" she observed.

"It's a mining ship, dumb ass!" 

"Didn't you say that they were indestructible?" Peter asked the planning duo.

"If you're implying-"

"Your ass is not crashing into any enemy ships today, Captain Dipshit. Rocket, do you understand what I'm saying?"

Whenever they fought, it was normal to exchange curse words at one another. She never took offense to it. His threats lacked one major factor-- they didn't scare her.

"Roger that, Quill."

A ship flew into her vision. Looking closer, she deduced that it was Nebula.

Her grip on the steering stick tightened. She could feel sweat beginning to seep through her palms.

"Shit-Lord! Nebula is riding rather close to me. Can you do anything?" Charlotte yelled. 

"Star-Lord," Peter hastily corrected, "And I can try."

Charlotte watched Peter take over one of the Kree warships and shoot at the ships trailing behind her.

One single ship avoided every shot. Unsurprisingly, it was Nebula's.

Charlotte weaved her way throughout some of the buildings. Nothing she was able to perform had gotten Nebula off of her tail.

Charlotte let out a breath, "Guys, I can't make it to the Milano. I've gotta take a different route.." 

Charlotte pulled up on the lever and sky rocketed out of Knowhere, back into space. 

"Your diversion did not fool me, petty girl. Hand over the orb, or you will die." 

Taking the orb from her satchel and holding it in her hand, Charlotte jumped down to the front of the small ship. She assumed she had a higher chance of coming out uninjured that way.

"I guess you'll have to pry it from my cold, dead hands," Charlotte taunted. 

"Nebula, don't!" Gamora shouted.

"It would be my pleasure."

Peter was too late. He arrived just as Charlie's ship blew into bits.

Nebula beamed the orb into her ship and flew away.

Gamora, Rocket and Peter were shocked into silence.

Through the debris, they scouted her body. It was unharmed as she presumed, but she was still.

Rocket's shoulders sagged when he saw her. The animal couldn't help but feel as though he was partly to blame. It was their plan that got her killed.

Rocket's voice was barely heard as it rang through the speaker. "There's nothing we can do for her. We gotta go, Quill.."

Peter blinked back his tears.

He understood that if he wanted to live he had to follow, but Peter couldn't do that to her. The last thing he could do was leave her to die out there. Not the love of his life.

He flicked a switch, "Yondu! Yondu, if you're anywhere near Knowhere, you come and get me. I'm all yours." 

Peter formed his mask over his face and opened up the door to the ship.

"Quill! You can't! You'll both die out there!" Rocket shouted, his hands clenching the fur on his head. 

Peter flew out to Charlie. He inhaled a big gulp of breath and tore the mask off his face, placing it on hers. 

He heard her gasp as she woke, her chest rising up and down heavily, trying to inhale.

The mask turned to him. He could only imagine what her face looked like right now. She was probably extremely pissed off, with a touch of sadness. 

Charlotte tried to pry off the mask to give it back to Peter. She couldn't let him die for her. What would she have to live for? 

She would live in the Milano, but it would never feel the same if she didn't have him singing along to the mix tape in the background. She couldn't imagine life without their bickering, or having to cooking for another person.

Charlie couldn't imagine a life without Peter Quill. Frankly, she didn't want to live if he wasn't there with her. 

Peter used every force of strength he had left to take her hands in his. He wanted her to stop, to just hold him as he died. 

But that didn't happen.

The familiar abductees showed up in the nick of time.

Peter and Charlie were pulled to the very bottom of the ship.  They tumbled through the hatch, Peter landed on top of Charlie. His head fell on her shoulder, taking gasps of air.

The second Charlie got the mask to retreat, she exploded on Peter. 

"You're an idiot. Are you out of your  damn mind? What were you thinking trying to give me your mask?! You could have died!" 

"You could have died!" Peter retorted. He closed his eyes, "I can't let you die, Charlie. You mean too friggin' much to me, and I would be lost without you here." 

While admitting it, Peter looked everywhere except at Charlie. He had never told anything as deep as that to any girl, ever.

"Oh, it hurts for you to tell me that, doesn't it?" Charlie teased. 

Peter frowned, "Is that really all you got out of my speech? I was trying to be romantic and tell you that I have feelings for yo-"

"Well, well, well.. Look what we've got here." 

Once again, the pair was interrupted.

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A/N: Because I want to hear from my readers, the Q and A for today is: How do you think Charlie and Peter will admit their love?