-☆-

"Something about this plan seems off." Peter stated after 15 minutes passed while Ava and Poe were still inside the Emporium.

The new location was much filthier than the original Knowhere. Tons of scraps scattered the ground and there were twice as many thugs roaming the city. Gamora noticed the amount of poverty as well. A few lost families on the streets as if this was the only place they could live all thanks to Thanos. The guilt inside resurfaced as she tried not to blame herself again.

Rocket scoffed as he was messing around with his bag of gadgets. "Relax Pete, they will be fine."

"He did give Poe a device of some sorts." Nebula ratted him out and revealing his sneaky idea.

"You didn't!" Peter scolded at the shorter Guardian. "If that guy is a pilot you know he isn't going to hesitate to use it right?"

Rocket snarled at Nebula. "You're the worst!"

Peter rolled his eyes, but not surpised the fact his friend would implant the idea in Poe's mind and give him the temptation to explode the place.

"If the good looking space man and Ava don't come back soon, can I go in after them?" Drax asked as he lifted up his two swords.

"No." Gamora sent the Destoryer a harsh glare as she knew exactly his intentions. "You can't go kill the Collector."

"But what if they get captured. That man would truly deserve some sort of punishment?" He replied trying to persuade the others as he pulled out his duel swords.

"Drax no!" Gamora repeated as if she were mother telling her child he couldn't have another cookie.

"Mantis put him to sleep before he does anything stupid."

Mantis nodded, standing behind Drax placed her hand on his arm.

"Sleep." She whispered as her antennas glowed and Drax stumbled onto the floor.

Peter let out a long sigh, bring their focus back on a plan. "I just don't know how I feel about this crowd of outlaws and criminals. What if one of them is a spy for the Sovereign? What if she can't fight them off?"

"If they could fight off Ravaaka's gang, I think her and Poe can manage." Nebula added as she knew at least Ava was capable defending herself. Remembering how firece the last training session was, Nebula could only imagine Ava had improved.

Before another word could be said, an alarm went off inside the giant building. The Guardians saw a holographic banner right outside the Collector's Emporium. A projection of Ava and Poe popped over the city, showing the two standing outside the building. The Collector announcing a bounty as the number of units was revealed for their capture.

"Oh man." Peter said under his breath, before spinning around and grabbing his blasters on the table. "I'm going to get them."

He walked towards the button to open the back door. But a hand snatched his hand away. He looked to see Gamora staring up at him with sincere concern.

"I know you want to save your sister like you did on Easik." She sighed and adjusted her hand to squeeze his.

Peter closed his eyes for a moment as flashes of the previous battle left him torn. Watching those rocks trap his sister inside a cave and then having to leave her was the worst thing he could ever witness. He hated being separated from her in fear it would keep them apart for another 34 years. They had only been reunited for such a short time between now and the battle on Earth.

He opened his eyes, pleading for Gamora to let him go and open his mouth. But she placed her other hand on his cheek, causing it to close.

"But Nebula is right. Ava is strong enough to defend herself." Gamora assured as her thumb rubbed against the faint stubble on Peter's skin. "And she's not alone. She has Poe. I have a feeling he won't let anything happen to our Ava."

Peter knew she was right. Ava wasn't the scared little girl who got picked on by bullies at school anymore. She grew up just like him.

He nodded as he place he grabbed Gamora's hand, securing it on his face.

"Hey, uh we got company." Mantis called.

The couple turned to see Mantis staring out the window. A army of pirates, thugs and criminals charging towards the Benatar.

"What's this all about!?" Peter questioned loudly.

Nebula was staring at a holographic screen showing a form of wanted posters. Attached with photos of the Guardians and their ship.

"The Sovereign must have sent these holo-posters out across the Galaxy." She established.

Peter let out a groan. "This situation just keeps getting better!"

"You guys stay with the ship." Rocket said.

"Where are you going!?" Peter shouted s the Raccoon climbed into the pod.

Rocket didn't stop walking. "I'm going to have some fun with these morons." He huffed as he sat in the pilot chair.

He spun around. "And I'm going to make sure we get Groot back."

Without giving them time to protest, Rocket pressed a button that shut he pod shut. The small ship detaching from the Benatar as Rocket zipped away.

Peter rolled his eyes at the wanabe captain as he climbed up to the top into the cockpit. Clicking the lever of the pilot ship on the console as the acceleration powered up.

Gamora saw a notification on the screen and tapped on it. She gasped before yelling up at Peter.

"A message from Kraglin!" She informed. "He's here on New Knowhere and saw us trying to leave. He wants to help!"

In an instant, an idea sparked hearing the name of his former fellow Ravenger. "Tell him to get Ava and Poe! We are surrounded!"

Gamora obeyed the command as she also pressed the comm in his ear. "Rocket, meet you back at Xandar. Make sure you get Ava, Poe and Groot with Kraglins ship!"

"Copy that." Rocket took off to find the two that wanted fugitive running around the streets. He spotted Groot and the orange beach ball rolling behind them.

Once they were by the hangar, trapped by credit-thirsting criminals, ready to get their bounty.

Rocket smirked to himself as he gripped the controls in his paws, thumbs hovering over the blaster buttons.

"Oh, yeah."

BAM!

BAM!

Another strike, rocking the Benatar as Peter dodged the thieves and their blows.

"Have we lost them yet!?" Gamora asked as she sat down in the co-pilot chair next to Peter.

He turned over his shoulder to see the same mini flock of ships tagging behind them. "Not exactly!"

Blasting beams out of the Bentar as Peter flew the ship in his usual reckless way. Dodging other greedy thugs left and right.

Gamora helped as she also did her part in guiding the ship and keeping it from crashing. Drax and Mantis sat behind them as they held on.

"I have a brilliant idea! Maybe I should do what I did when the Sovereign chased us. I'll hop out of the ship and shoot them all down!" Drax sugguested, somehow awake from Mantis' trance.

"Definitely not Drax!" Gamora interjected his brilliant idea with a groan that he was still on a vengeful adrenaline. "I am not saving your ass again!"

Drax huffed in defeat as he watched Mantis who was keeping an eye on coordinates in front of her on the holopad.

"Peter!"

His sister called into his earpiece and he tapped it to respond. "Hey! You two alright!? Everything okay!?" He asked, his voice dripping in agonizing worry.

"We've got a problem! We have Groot and BB-8, but have a very angry Tivian!"

"Copy that! We will get you out of there don't worry." Peter's voice answered as he felt the determination to fly into the streets.

"Peter!" Mantis spoke louder as it was the second time trying to get his attention. "Take 3 clicks and we can loose them! It will be a completely different corner of the Galaxy that they wouldn't dare to follow."

Gamora tilted her head as she asked. "Why is that?"

"It's near Xandarian territory," Nebula added. "They would be arrested in seconds."

Gamora turned to confirm with Peter but he was clenching his jaw, gripping tightly onto the controls.

"No." He said sternly as he continued to avoid the other M-ships. "Not leaving here until Ava is safe." He began to move the ship back towards the Celestial head.

About to accelerate, until a jolt from being hit by another ships blasters. The Benatar almost being knocked out completely as more ships surrounded them in different directions.

"We are going to die if we don't leave now Quill!" Nebula snapped in the chair behind Gamora and tossed something at Peter's head, which he dodged with a judging look at him. "She'll be fine, now step on it!"

Gamora looked right at Peter with a sigh as she encouraged him with her eyes.
Her eyes filled with concern for their saftey but also with compassion as she knew Peter would go insane again if they left Ava now. Just like he did when they left her in the cave.

She turned away as she pressed a button on the screen in front of her. ""Kraglin?" She said as she spoke into the radio in her hand.

"Have you found Ava and Poe?"

Peter watched her in wonder as the love of his life having the most tenderness in her voice. The softness being a very calming and sympathetic. She was already the most beautiful women in the galaxy he's ever met, but he always had fallen for her sweet side. When he showed her his walkman for the first time, she wasn't the deadliest woman in the galaxy anymore.

After a long pause, Kraglin finally responded. "Yeah, I found them! They're hopping onto my ship right now."

Letting out a sigh of relief and continuing to dodge the thugs, Peter felt the burden of anxiety weigh off his shoulders.

"We will meet you back on Xandar. We have to get away from these freaks following us!" Gamora informed the Ravenger.

Her and Peter locked eyes again. Gamora sent him a reassuring smile. "She's going to be okay." She said.

Mirroring her, Peter smirked. "I know. Let's get out of here then."

He pushed the ship in full gear and heeded Mantis' command.

- | -

Fear stuck inside of the young boy as he stood in front of his captors. Each of them looking like they came from an old sci-fi film. Some had scales, others tentacles and some had various skins colors like pink. One of them had a long and messy beard with drips of spit as he growled. In those movies, the aliens would often do horrible things and try to eat their prisoner from Earth.

But that didn't matter to him.

The eight year old boy from Missouri wasn't terrified of the thugs. Where he feared more, was the reality that his mother was gone. Now Peter was completely alone.

He didn't have his younger sister with him either. He couldn't hold her hand or find relief in her sweet innocence.

Continuing his attempt to being strong and not weary, Peter's eyes scanned around as the aliens crowding around him. Laughing and pointing fingers at the timid young Terran.

One of them was a young boy as well, but a little older. Just reaching his teenage years. Peter felt a small ounce of hope knowing there was another kid. The other let smirked at him before letting a laugh come out of his mouth as well. Showing off ugly and crooked teeth.

"Settle down boys." A heavily accented and rough voice caused all mocking to drop silent. "We aren't going to eat this fella."

Parting the sea of groans, a tall man with blue skin walked until he stopped right in front of Peter. His head decorated by a red fin that matched his eyes a little. He wore a long leather jacket that went down to his ankles. He looked down at the young Terran.

"What's you're name boy?" He demanded.

Peter shook his head. "I ain't telling you nothing. You take me back home this instant!"

The man cackled as the his gang accompanied with their own responses. "Isn't he sweet? A little poor boy telling us to send him back home."

A sound of a whistle made Peter jump, but the sight of an arrow flying with a red trail, speeding around come for his throat made his heart beat out of his chest. He shut his eyes to prepare for the impact.

With the lack of pain, Peter opened one eye to see the arrow hovering over his neck. This was nothing like the bullies back in school. Getting beaten up by them seemed to be harmless compared to what he could be facing now.

"Why would we send you back? Do you have family waiting for you?" The man questioned as he stepped closer. "Because if you do, we can welcome them on board as well."

Peter gulped as he bit back his tongue and shook his head 'no.' He may have been entering hell, but that didn't mean his sister had to join. She would be safe with their Grandparents. It would be better than trapped in space with these goons.

The tall smurf man stared at Peter for a moment before he whistled, making the arrow fly back to him. Then he knelt in front of the kid as he inspected him with a grin.

"Then we finally got ourselves someone small enough to get into tight spaces!" He busted out laughing as the other men cheered and raised their fists in the air.

Then he grabbed Peter's arm and dragged him along the ship. "Kraglin!" He shouted at the boy Peter saw earlier.

"Show the new kid around until we get to our next stop."

"Aye Cap!" Kraglin with some lisp of sorts and saluted with his fist hitting his chest twice. The boy began to lead the way for Peter who kept his eyes on Yondu in terror. He reminded Peter of those filthy bandits in Western movies who always carried a gun.

Kraglin huffed as the younger boy scuffled along. "Don't worry kid, Yondu only bites when we don't listen to his orders. He's taken care of me since I was practically a baby. You'll find he's not so bad after a few months. Name's Kraglin."

"Peter Quill, but you can call me Starlord." Peter replied confidently. It's what his mother would teach him. To never hid who you are.

Kraglin snickered. "That's a silly name, but alright Quill."

The tour of his new life began as he followed along. Physically he paid attention to everything Kraglin told him. Yet, his inner mind was fighting the urge to cry. But big boys don't cry.

Ava will be okay.

He often assured himself.

She will be okay.

-|-

"Ava's going to be okay." He paced back and forth at the hangar of Xandar. Peter muttering a constant prayer to himself that his beloved sister would come back. "She's going to be okay."

Mantis had noticed his turmoil ever since they escaped New Knowhere. Her big bug eyes having innocent desire to help her half-sibling. She knew Ava was his sister by blood unlike herself. At first Mantis was insecure about it, until she realized that her and Ava had potential that needed time to grow. Thankfully, her and Ava have been getting used to each other now.

Regardless of the state of their relationship, Mantis still knew how important Ava was to Peter. He mentioned her a lot before the war against Thanos. Peter kept one single, worn out polaroid of him and Ava in their backyard camping with their mother.

Mantis approached him, as she stepped out onto the hangar, and she place a hand on Peter's shoulder, stopping him from pacing. He immediately became quiet and stared at his half-sister with furrowed eyebrows.

The sensation of internal pain traveled into Mantis' hand as her antennas glowed. Feeling the anxiety and heartache he felt in all of his years away from Ava. Her eyebrows knitted tenderly as she looked at him.

"She'll be okay Peter." Mantis said in her gentle empathetic voice. Hoping to calm his worries.

Knowing she did that on purpose, but for a reason, Peter changed his demeanor. The pressure of stress became lighter as he smiled at Mantis.

"I know she will be." He replied. "Thanks Mantis."

Remembering how Tony briefly mentioned how Ava became so dedicated to find him, that she studied everything that had to do with space. The Spiderman kid also wouldn't stop talking about how cool she was when she found more information of alien races. Which lead him to think of how he watched Ava train with Gamora and Nebula, how resilient she had become. Without Celestial or any other powers, she became fierce and intelligent.

There was no battle Ava couldn't fight for. She wouldn't ever give up.

Just as he became assured, a rush of wind blew through his loose ginger-blonde curls that had been growing out. It wasn't the typical breeze either as a humming noise got louder after it caught his ear. Peter's eyes snapped up like a dog hearing a bell, and a single laugh puffed out of his mouth when he saw Kraglin's M-ship heading towards the hangar.

Smiling wider than a watermelon, he laughed again as he pointed at the spacecraft. "Mantis! You see that!"

He did a silly, classic Peter Quill, happy dance as the ship landed on the surface of Xandar. The ramp started to open and he didn't hesitate to dash towards it. But something made him stop in his tracks in an unexpected sight.

Ava wasn't walking down, rather she was in the arms of the man from another galaxy. Both of them snickering as if they just heard a funny joke. Poe's stare remained on his sister and caused a tension to make Peter clench his knuckles.

But that only lasted for a few moments as he noticed her leg, softening his scowl and let out a gasp. "Ava? You okay!?"

She nodded with a tender smile.

Once Poe stepped onto the hangar, he carefully set Ava down next to him. She kept an arm around Poe's shoulder for balance support.

"My leg is in pain, but I'm okay other than that." She replied.

Relief overcame him as he stepped forward and trapped Ava in a huge brotherly hug. Ava accepted as she let go of Poe and wrapped her arms around Peter's neck. She felt him nestle his face into her shoulder.

"Don't you ever scare me like that ever again, little bear." He whispered.

Ava responded as she gave him a squeeze, after patting him on the back as she pulled out of the embrace. "It's a bad habit of ours, huh? Getting separated?"

Peter let out a sigh. "How about we promise to never leave each other ever gain okay?"

"I promise Big Bear. Pinky promise." She confirmed the deal with a nod and linking her small finger with his.

Mantis, Gamora, Nebula and Drax came out to greet everyone coming out of Kraglin's ship. Gamora was the first to notice Ava's leg that was still poorly wrapped around her calf.

"What happened!?" Gamora gasped as she approached Ava and placed her hands on her shoulders.

Ava shrugged as she chuckled before glancing from each Guardian. "Just a scratch."

"Just a scratch Blondie?" Poe intervened on her simple explanation. "It's a pretty nasty deep cut from what I can remember."

Groot nodded in agreement. "I am Groot."

"Ava!" Peter exclaimed as he panicked. "Gamora, Nebula and Mantis, take her to the medical ward right now!"

Ava rolled her eyes, but was lifted by Nebula in an instant before she could protest that she was fine. It was nice that her brother cared about her, but there were times where he got too protective.

A hand slapped onto his shoulder and Peter turned to see his old friend now wearing the late Yondu Udonta's red fin on his head.

"Thanks, Kraglin."

"No problem Pete." He said with a nod as the two began to converse about their adventures.

Poe partially listened to the conversation, but was distracted as he watched Nebula take Ava inside. Her head peeked over the robotic shoulder, sending him a smile as if it were a silent appreciation. He grinned in return while adding a quick and playful wink, making her grinned as he turned back around.

Beeps caught his attention and he groaned at his droid. "BB-8 I thought I told you to shut up about that."

"I am Groot." Said the tree next to the droid.

"Don't know what that means still, but I don't care." Poe snapped.

"You idiot,"

Poe looked over to see Rocket behind him, folding his arms and shaking his head. "You are really embarrassing yourself when you scold at Groot when he's only giving you facts."

Placing his hands on his hips, Poe stared down at the Raccoon. "I don't even know what he said, and what's that supposed to mean?"

"Eh. Anways," Rocket sighed, without elaborating on the previous topic. "I just wanted to say thank you for getting Groot back, hotshot."

Forgetting that he was annoyed, Poe felt a ounce of honor in Rocket's gratitude. "Your welcome." He said.

"I couldn't bear loosing him again." Rocket added as he started to head in the direction the 4 women. "C'mon Groot."

Groot smiled at Poe before he walked over to him. "I am Groot." He chimed before he wrapped his wooden limbs around the Resistance General.

Never did Poe think he would be interacting with a moving and talking tree, but the teenager did have a friendly demeanor that seemed to lure others to feel happy. Besides the fact Groot kicked him out of the cockpit earlier, Poe accepted the gesture and returned it. A short and sweet exchange that was shared.

"I still don't know what you said, but glad you made it back buddy." Poe smiled back at Groot. "And thanks for keeping BB-8 company, he would have gone crazy if he was alone and away from me to long."

Groot gave two pats on Poe's shoulder before leaving to follow Rocket.

Poe let out a satisfying sigh, still keeping a grin on his face. He now understood how a dysfunctional group like the Guardians were special to Ava. They were her Resistance, they were like his Black Squadron before he took on the General title. Their relationships were chaotic, but they always watched each others back.

The Guardians could have just left him on Behert and let him suffer in the strange galaxy alone. Or they could have abandoned him and Ava to fend for themselves. Yet they didn't dare do that.

They were a family.

Not by blood, except for Ava, Peter and Mantis.

Instead, they have that special bond that allowed them to become who they need to be. Even with the bantering and all. At the end of the day the Guardians are a family.

Poe smiled brighter before he shuffled along inside.

______________________________________

And there is the special chapter! I realized there wasn't a ton of Guardian in the book but I want to make sure they get some time to shine.

be WEARY of GOTG V3 spoilers in the comments. I didn't spoil any that I know of, but hop
e this makes you less depressed!

I might be writing more scenes of Poe and Ava interacting with them!

Will they finally find Poe's home or will he be stuck in their galaxy? We will find out in the next few chapters!

Comment, share and vote!

-Marie xoxo