●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●

We all sat around a fire as Quill's father told us what had happend. I casted my gaze on the other alien, her eyes were big, and her black hair framed her face, the thing that stood out the most about her was her antennas. I quickly looked away and listened to Ego.

"I hired Yondu to pick you up when your mother passed away. But instead of returning you, Yondu kept you. I have no clue as to why." Ego explained.

"Well, I'll tell you why. Because I was a skinny little kid who could squeeze into places adults couldn't. It made it easier for thievin'." Quill said.

"I've been trying to track you down ever since."

"I thought Yondu was your father." Drax said confused. Causing all of us to turn our gazes toward him.

"What? We've been together this whole time....and you thought Yondu was my actual blood relative?"

"You look exactly alike."

"One's blue!" Rocket yelled.

"No, he's not my father! Yondu was the guy who abducted me, kicked the crap out of me so I could learn to fight, and kept me in terror by threatening to eat me."

"Eat you?" Ego asked.

"Yeah."

"Oh, that son of a bitch."

"How'd you locate us?" Gamora asked.

"Well, even where I reside, out past the edge of what's known....we've heard tells about the man they called Star-Lord. What's say we head out there right now? Your associates are welcome. Even that triangled-faced monkey there." Ego said as he pointed at Rocket, causing him to growl.

"I promise you....it's unlike any other place you've ever seen. And there...I can explain your very special heritage. Finally get to be...the father I've always wanted to be." He said as he got up.

"Excuse me. I've gotta take a whiz." And he left. Quill looked over at me, his face read that he did not trust this man at all.

"I'm not buying it."

"Let us go take a walk." I said as I got up, following after Quill.

"Give me a break! After all this time, you're gonna show up, and all of the sudden you wanna be my dad?"

"I hear you."

"And by the way, this could be a trap. The Kree purists, the Ravagers....they all want us dead."

"I know, but..."

"But what?"

"What was that story you once told me about, Zardu Hasselfrau?"

"Who?"

"He owned a magic boat?"

"David Hasselhoff?"

"Right."

"Not a magic boat. A talking car."

"Why did he talk again?"

"To help fight crime, and to be supportive!"

"As a child, you would carry his picture around in your pocket...and you would tell all the other children...that he was your father, but he was out of town." I explained.

"Shooting Knight Rider or touring with his band in Germany. I told you that when I was drunk. Why are you bringing that up now?"

"I love that story." I said as I lightly smiled, thinking if my own parents and the stories they used to tell me.

"I hate that story. It's so sad! As a kid, I used to see all the other kids off playing catch with their dad. And I wanted that, more than anything in the world!"

"That is my point, Peter. What if this man is your Hasselhoff? If he ends up being evil...we will just kill him." I said as I grabbed onto his hands, bringing them close to me.

"Okay?"

He looked up and gave me a small smile before nodding his head.

"Yeah, okay."

I gave him a small smile.

"Good. Let us go back." I said as I took his hand and guided him out of the forest. And we exited the forest, still hand in hand. The strangest thing was that it didn't seem to bother me as much anymore.

●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●

"You're leaving me with the fox?" Nebula asked as we packed our page to leave with Ego to his planet.

"He's not a fox." Gamora said, she then turned to Rocket.

"Shoot her if she does anything suspicious. Or if you feel like."

"Okay."

I walk over to Groot and bend down to his level.

"It will be just a couple of days
We will be back before Rocket is finished fixing the ship."

Groot gave me a sad smile and waved at me, I smiled back and stood up.

"What if the Sovereign come?" Drax asked.

"There's no way for them to know we're here. Let's go." Quill said as we got all of our stuff and walked over to Ego's ship.

"I'm uncertain about parting ways." Drax said concerned.

"God, you're like an old woman." Quill said.

"Because I'm wise?"

Gamora looked at Drax, who had way more luggage then needed.

"Why do you have so much luggage?" She asked.

"I don't want Groot messing with my things."

Rocket walked up to Quill before we left.

"I hope daddy isn't as big of a dick as you, orphan boy."

"What is your goal here? To get everyone to hate you? Because it's working." We're Quill's last words to Rocket before we parted ways. I smiled and waved at Rocket before boarding Ego's ship with the others. We all sat down as Ego took off.

●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●

I was standing next to Gamora as we were currently discussing what Ego's planet could be like, while Quill and Drax questioned the alien who's name was Mantis.

"Hey, can I ask you a personal question?" Quill asked.

"No...no one has ever asked me a personal question." Mantis said as her voice was laced with shock.

"Your antennas. What are they for?" Quill asked.

"Their purpose?"

"Yes. Quill and I have a bet." Drax said.

"Dude, your not supposed to say that."

"I say: if you are about to go through a doorway that is too low, your antenna will feel this, and keep you from getting decapitated."

"Right, and if it's anything other than specifically not being decapitated by a doorway, I win."

"They are not for feeling doorways!" Mantis said as Drax groaned and Quill laughed.

" I think they have something to do with my empathic abilities."

"What are those?" Gamora asked.

"If I touch someone, I can feel their feelings." Mantis explained.

"You read minds?" Quill asked.

"No. Telepaths know thoughts. Empaths feel feelings, emotions. May I?" Mantis asked as she looked over at Quill.

"Alright."

Mantis then reached over and placed her hand on Quill's, she then closed her eyes as she searched for Quill's emotions.

"You feel....love!"

"Yeah, I guess I feel a general, unselfish love for just about everybody."

"No. Romantic, sexual love..."

"No....no, I don't..."

"For her!" Mantis yelled as she pointed at me, causing my eyes to widened a bit.

"No!"

I looked at him surprised as he shook his head in denial.

"That is not--"

Drax then burst out in huge fits of laughter.

"Okay." Quill said.

Drax countined to laugh as Quill groaned.

"That's..."

"She just told everyone your deepest, darkest secret!"

"Dude, come on! I think your're overreacting a little bit."

"You must be so embarrassed!" Drax lauhed. Gamora and I watched in amusement.

"Do me! Do me, do me!"

Mantis reached over and grabbed onto Drax and immediately burst out into laughter.

"I have never felt such humor!" She laughed as she and Drax pointed at Quill.

"So unbelievably uncool." Quill groaned.

Drax then stopped laughing and looked at Quill.

"Oh, Quill."

Mantis was giggling as she walked over towards Gamora and I, she reached out towards me and I instantly pulled my hand away.

"No." I spoke firmly. As she backed away. She then looked over at Gamora.

"Touch me, and the only thing you're gonna feel is a broken jaw."

Mantis backed away in fear and looked down.

"I can also....alter emotions to some extent."

"Yeah. Like what?" Quill asked.

"If I touch someone who is sad, I can ease them into contentment for a short while. I can make a stubborn person complaint. But I mostly use it to help my master sleep. He lies awake at night, thinking about his project."

"....Do one of those on me!" Drax asked. Mantis reached over and touched Drax's hand.

"Sleep." She commanded and  Drax instantly fell asleep.

"Hm. We should do that to him more often." I spoke in amusement as Quill and Gamora hummed and nodded in agreement.

●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●~●