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"How is he doing?" Gamora asked Ava on the floor of the Benatar, referring to the man they rescued that day.

There weren't enough sleeping bags, so Gamora, Ava, and Nebula offered to sleep in the Benatar. Nebula already passed out on one of the seats while Gamora and Ava were laying on makeshift mattresses. It wasn't the most comfortable but Ava didn't mind. If it meant she didn't have to hear Poe complain or banter with her.

"He's a piece of crap." Ava rolled her eyes at the mention of Poe. "You should have seen the way he talked down to me today. He called me dumb for not knowing what a droid was. And don't get me started with tonight"

Gamora chuckled with a sigh that followed. "Men."

"Right?" Ava replied. "I thought dealing with Tony and my brother was a lot, but now I think there is some competition. Don't know how you do it."

Through the dark Gamora smiled and felt her cheeks turning pink. Bringing up Starlord always made the assassin slightly bashful.

"Well when you grow up with the worst father in the universe it sucks. But then I met someone like you're brother and it made life surprisingly easier." She paused and swallowed the painful memories. "Aside from the headaches I get from Peter, he made me feel like I'm important person. Life finally mattered and had purpose." Gamora turned her head to look at me with a soft smile.

"And since I got my memories back from that wizard from Earth, I can't stop falling more in love with Peter. No matter how much he drives me crazy, I love him."

A flutter in her heart triggered Ava to form a beaming smile. Hearing the her brother found love with Gamora always made her happy. She giggled like a fangirl watching their favorite chick flick.

"I swear if he doesn't purpose to you in the next few months, I will punch him in the face."

Gamora smiled and let out a bashful sigh. Ava could picture her green cheeks turning a shade of magenta and only gushed more.

"Then you guys can get me cute little green nieces or nephews to babysit for you guys." She snickered and winked.

"Ava!" Gamora gasped and shoved Ava before she started to tickle.

"Oh c'mon! I know you've thought about it before!" Ava busted out laughing so hard that she almost had tears in her eyes.

"Will you two go to sleep already!?"

Nebula groaned as she tossed and turned.

Ava rolled her eyes at the complaint that interrupted her quality time with Gamora. Nebula always had to be the party pooper.

"Sorry!" Gamora whispered and looked over at Ava. "She'll get over it."

"I won't!" Nebula hissed.

Ava rolled her eyes. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Gamora said with a chuckle.

-|-

The next day, Ava stepped out of the Benatar after taking forever to get up. She let out a huge yawn while twisting her aching back. She then brought her right arm above her head and reaching for he wall of the ship. As she did, she watched as the rest of their group stubbled out of their sleeping pads. Well, except for Drax and Mantis who were still passed out next to each other.

Ava sensed Nebula walking past her as she switched to stretch the other side. "Sorry for waking you up last night." She said, trying to bring peace for between them, for once.

Nebula presented a teasing smile over her shoulder that was quickly replaced with a scowl. "You two talk so loud when you're trying to whisper." 

"You didn't have to sleep by us you know." Ava said, dropping the friendly apology.

The blue alien rolled her eyes as she turned around in order to face Ava who was now standing up straight. "It was you two, or hearing these idiots banter all night."

Ava barely saw, but could have sworn she saw a slight grin on Nebula's face. It seemed that she was trying to joke around with her last sentence. Even if it wasn't, a small ounce of respect sparked inside Ava as she could relate to Nebula's annoyance. 

"So what's your deal with the new guy? You hate him?" She asked as she crossed her arms in amusement. Ava grew confused, she has never had this long of a conversation with Nebula. Let alone Nebula has never even asked her personal questions before.

"I never said that." Ava denied as she was sure where this talk with Nebula was heading. She also wasn't sure how to open up to someone who is constantly condescending to her.  

"Ava. I've grown up hating people all my life," Nebula cut in as she gave her teammate a smirk. "The sooner you admit what your feeling, the more control you have to ignore the cause of it." She stated as she joined Gamora who was gathering their things. 

Ava stood there as she tried to process the advice and the fact Nebula actually spoke to her.

Her thought was cut off by the figure moving at the corner of her eye. Seeing Groot fuming and kicking the rocks on the ground.

"I am Groot." He grunted as he threw a stick.

Ava chuckled. "Rocket took away you're Astro game again?"

He nodded with a pout. "I am Groot."

"Sorry bud. I promise we can play Mario kart in my room later, okay?" She promised him with a wink.

Groots eyes widened in amusement before he put a finger over his mouth.

Ava copied the gesture. "I won't tell Rocket." She said as she pretended zipped her mouth shut. "My lips are sealed."

Groot snickered as he caught attention of a butterfly and was determined to catch it.

Ava shook her head at the sight before she saw Rocket and Peter outside of the Benatar. Working on the pod and making sure it was in ship shape for travel.

She started to walk over until she ran into Poe, almost smacking her face against his chest. She stumbled back and glared up at him.

"Hey, you blind!? Watch where you're going!" Ava snapped and wished this whole mission was a dream. Yet Poe real and standing in front of her, tempting her to rip her hair out.

Poe rolled his eyes. "And what are you going to do about it?" He said.

She clenched her jaw with her hand bawled into fists. "You really want to know?" Ava threatened. "Because it ends with you having a bloody nose."

He only shook hid head with a sigh. "Yeah okay."

The man ignored her statement and made his way over to the two Guardians fixing the pod.

"So, when is this going to be done?" Poe asked and putting his hands on his hips. His face grew more impatient as his eyes and his mouth in a straight line.

"Why all the rush?" Ava let out a light laugh. "Maybe quit the extra attitude and they'll be done sooner."

The man sneered at her. "I wasn't asking you, star." 

Poe sighed with annoyance yet again and started to walk off, making Ava's blood boil. She ran up to him and grabbed his arm. He yanked it back and turned around.

"What's you're problem a-hole!? Ever since you showed up, you've done nothing but complain!" Ava yelled at him, causing everyone to look towards the pair.

Poe pointed a finger back her. "Well incase you forgot sweetheart, I crash landed to an unknown planet with people who don't know anything about the galaxy! I don't even have a reason to trust you. For all I know this is a set up and you guys are stalling."

"First, don't call me sweetheart." Ava shoved his finger out of her face with her back hand.

"Second, we are the Guardians of the Galaxy for a reason. And you dont have a reason to trust us? Your the one who's been acting strange and standoffish."

He opened his mouth to protest but Ava wasn't finished.

"We've all been through hell, and the last thing we want is another battle."

Poe titled his head at the mention of another battle. It made him wonder if they have fought the First Order as well or something just as bad. But as he said the previous night, he wasn't there to make friendships.

"What you've been through, is nothing compared to what I have been through." Poe's voice snapped, stepping closer towards her. Ava held her stare and stood her ground. Not wanting to show that she was weak or scared by his tone.

"Hey guys? The pod is ready." Rocket called and breaking their tension. The two looked over at the raccoon and nodded before glancing back at each other.

"Just get in ship and never come back." She hissed in his face.

Poe leaned his head towards her with his eyes narrowed on her. "Sounds like a plan to me, princess." He spat before purposely bumping into her shoulder as he walked away.

-|-

"Alright Greatest Pilot in the Galaxy," Rocket exaggerated. "The pod is already to go." The raccoon opened up the door in the back of the Benatar.

"Woohoo!" Poe exclaimed as he sat down on the pilot seat. He looked over with a giant smile a sight Ava thought she never see.

She bit her lip to keep herself from smiling back. His excitement that resembled a puppy that was ready for a walk.

"C'mon BB we are going home!"

BB-8 whirled happy beeps again and rolled towards the pod but stopped. The droid turned around and rolled back to the Guardians. The droid looked up at them and chirped something they couldn't understand.

"BB-8, we got to go!" Poe shouted from inside the pod as he secured himself in his seat.

"What did he say?" Ava asked, wanting to be able to respond to the droid.

Poe rolled his eyes. "He said thank you for your help, alright? Now it's time to go BB!"

Ava knelt down at BB-8's level. "Just between you and me," She whispered to the droid. "You were my favorite between the two of you." She then kissed the top of the droids head.

BB-8 made a sound that resembled a scream of victory. Rolling tipsy turvey back and forth, trying to regain balance.

"Make sure Poe doesn't make any dumb decisions again okay?" Ava added with a wink before as the droid left to join his master with cheerful bleeps.

Poe snapped out of his amusement at the interaction as BB-8 dropped into the pod. He was so ready to leave, get away from these strangers and get back home to the Resistance. He closed the door and sat comfortably in the pilot seat with a bit of pride in his chest.

A bump on his leg and high pitch chirps wiped the smile off of his face.

"BB-8 quit bragging about that girl kissing you," He said as he scanned his eyes at the many buttons and controls around him. He let out a long heavy sigh as he found the on switch.

"She's not worth it."

More chirps causing Poe to groan and lean his head back on the seat. A warm feeling rushing to his cheeks which did his best to ignore. He straight his posture as he shook his head.

"What does that have to do with anything bud? Sure she's pretty, I get it, but you need to get over your little crush BB-8."

He refocused his attention on the controls of the strange ship. The writings on the buttons absolutely foreign to the pilot. Nothing was familiar. "BB-8 do you recognize any of this." He said looking at his droid. The droid shook his head with a uh-huh.

"Where's Threepio when I need him." He huffed under his breath.

Poe shook off the doubt he had and cleared his throat, regaining confidence. "It's alright. I can figure it out."

-|-

"You crashed my pod!" Peter threw his hands in the air as Poe opened the cockpit.

"Our pod." Ava corrected once again.

Peter ignored her comment by turning around to scold Poe. "Good thing we are going to Xandar."

"Oh sorry couldn't figure out the controls with a language I couldn't understand." Poe said in defense, increasing the tension in the banter. "The whole console is ridiculous and more complicated than the Force." He added threw his hands in the air.

When Poe took off with the pod, he had pressed the toggle and it ran straight into the trees. The damage almost identical to his X-wing.

"Or you're just not as good as you say you are." Ava said while leaning against the wall and her arms crossed.

"Clam it, sweetheart." Poe mocked her with the nickname as payback for her insult. Ava dropped her arms while standing up straight and glared back at him.

Poe sat on a chair in the Benatar with his head in his hands. He let out a sigh and looked at his droid beside him with hopelessness.

"Well since you can't fly a broken pod, we can escort you home in the Benatar. Just give us the coordinates and we'll be on our way." Gamora concluded.

"What!?"

Poe and Ava whined as he stood up next to her. She sneered at him taking a step away, intentionally making a huge gap between them. Ava couldn't think of spending another day with Poe.

Peter shrugged. "It's either that or we stay on Behert."

"Why don't we just send him to the Ravengers? We could get paid." Rocket asked while rubbing his fingers and then nudged Ava. She looked down at the Raccoon as he sent her a wink.

Ava shrugged. "Doesn't seem so bad to me."

Poe furrowed his eyebrows, confused by all the vocabulary that came out of their mouths. "I knew it! I knew I couldn't trust you, because you are all just greedy bounty hunters aren't you?"

Rocket rolled his eyes. "Relax you big baby, the Ravengers are nice and take care of lost space travelers very nicely." He explained while shooting another wink at Ava.

"I saw that!" Poe pointed at the gesture.

"Dang it, still using my left eye." The raccoon mumbled as he was caught.

"Rocket the ravengers won't do anything to help! Most of them are dead because you and Yondu killed them all remember." Peter defended as they all followed Gamora and Nebula towards the main deck of the Benatar.

Rocket crossed his arms. "That's because we were trying to save your frickin life from your psychotic father, starmunch!"

Peter gasped in shock. "I told you to never called me that, trash-panda!" He scolded as Rocket growled at the nickname and brought his attention back to Poe. "Anways, my point is we aren't sending him to the Ravengers and we aren't bounty hunters."

Ava put her hand out that was resting under her chin as she sat at the table of the bottom deck of the ship. "Do whatever you want then Starlord." She said with an attitude as he brother rolled his eyes.

"Poe," Nebula started taping the holographic map and pulled up the information. "What's you're destinations coordinates."

Without saying a word, Poe walked over, making Nebula move aside and typed in the numbers himself. His eyes focused as his fingers pressed against the holographic keyboard.

Nebula frowned from being brushed off while Ava who was stabbing an icy cold icicle into his back.

How could he be so rude?

He hit enter and turned around with a smirk as the system processed the information.  The results announcing:

"Unknown destination."

Poe groaned as he stormed off to the side and kicked an empty chair. "You can't be serious!" He shouted as paced around the room.

"That's it, send him to the Sovereign. We can paint him gold and he'll fit right in." Rocket sugguest yet another bad idea that Ava wouldn't mind.

Poe grimaced at the suggestion. "Paint me gold? Why the heck do you need to paint me gold?"

"Because Sovereign are gold people, genius." Ava said with a smirk, earning a scowl from Poe. "Guess I'm not the only stupid one here."

Poe's jaw dropped as he tried to say a witty comeback, but was to stunned to speak. Ava raised her eyebrows with a prideful grin, knowing she won.

Gamora let out a groan. "We are not painting him gold! Besides, we know what happened the last time we encountered the Sovereign and they probably want to shave off Rockets fur."

Ava ignored Poe's jaw dropping reaction to how brutal the Sovereign sounded. She titled her head with a small sarcastic pout. "I think it's worth the risk to me."

"Ava!" Gamora snapped with her mother instincts as Ava shrunk in her spot, knowing she was in trouble. "We aren't doing any of that to this man! He's been through enough already.

"Both of you have been acting like 5 year olds, the two better put your act together until he returns back to wherever he came from." Gamora raised her voice as she pointed at Ava and Poe.

"What!?" Poe scoffed, shocked that he was brought into the lecture as well. "I have done nothing but-"

"No buts!" She cut him off and was not putting up with his crap either. "We are going to take you to Xandar with us and the Nova Corps can help us figure out where you're base is. Does everyone understand that!?"

Gamora scanned the group who all just mumbled and shared glances.

"I said does everyone understand that?"

"Yes ma'am!"

They all said in sync.

Gamora nodded with a approval as she climbed up the ladder to the top deck.

Ava made eye contact with Poe and rolled her eyes with a sigh. She made her way towards the hall.

"Groot you want to play Mario Kart?"

The tree stood up with excitement and followed the woman to her room.

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