"I'll hear your song

If you want me to

I'll sing along
And it's a chance I'll have to take
And it's a chance I'll have to break"

Peter laid on his bed in The Benatar, listening to Holly's selection of music she'd sent with him. He smiled to himself before his thoughts were interrupted.

"I am Groot," Groot said, rolling his eyes.
"Not that it's any of your business, but I was just relaxing before we figure out where we're going next" Peter said sitting up "What did you need?"
"I am Groot," Groot sighed.
"Alright, alright," Quill said pausing the music, "I'll be out in a second"

"Go on Groot," Rocket said as he stood in the doorway, Groot scoffed and skulked away "And put that game down! We got work to do"
"I cannot wait til he's out of his teenage phase" Peter shook his head.
"Yeah, he would have been by now if it wasn't for Thanos" Rocket smirked "You've seemed pretty happy since comin' back from Terra"
"It's a long story," Peter smiled to himself "I'll tell ya' when we don't have an emotional God on our hands"
"Let me guess," Rocket grinned "You hooked up with a terran girl?"
"More than hooked up," Peter laughed.

"QUAIL!" Thor boomed as he stood in the doorway. "Ready for our next big adventure?"
"It's QUILL" Peter said annoyed "And what did you have in mind, buddy?"
"Sakkar," Thor said happily "They've been invaded by a ravenous group of parasitic aliens"
"Sakkar??" Quill exclaimed standing up.
"Told ya', you'd want a say in this," Rocket said.
"Thor buddy," Peter said, running a hand through his own hair. "We still have a lot to do to help Xandar out, not to mention we've been tasked with finding a place for the displaced people back from the snap, and I need to make a stop on Contraxia.."
"Contraxia?" Rocket said, his ears flicking forward eagerly "Alright! Finally a real vacation"
"Nothing crazy," Peter interrupted, "I've got a few things to talk over with Howard.."
"Quill," Thor said, clapping him around the shoulders. "We're the Guardians of the Galaxy, this job on Sakkar will be nothing for us! Just another classic.."
"Yeah, yeah," Quill rolled his eyes "Another classic Thor adventure..fine, if this is going to help you sort through whatever you're going through, let's make it quick"

*

"How are you doing, Holly Bell?" Joey asked, leaning against the edge of the skating rink next to Holly.
"I'd be a lot better if people would stop asking me that," Holly said as she watched Sam take a spill and Jess helped him up laughing at him.
"Ya' can't really blame me though," Joey said, "You're getting a team ready for semi-finals again, your Star man has been away for a couple weeks, you're getting a restraining order against your ex.."
"Oh I'm aware of all those things," Holly laughed "But I'm ok, Pete said he'd be gone for a few weeks...so hopefully that's true, but I'll be ok. I'm not worried about my team in semi-finals, we got this...the restraining order...well, there's a reason I called for a day at the rink"

"I need to stop pretending I'm one of you," Sam laughed as he and Jess joined Holly and Joey.
"You would think with all the time you spend around derby, you'd know how to skate at least a little" Holly laughed.
"I'm on foot at bouts!" Sam argued "I put skates on for you today Holz, and I'm man enough to admit I suck at it"

"C'mon Holz," Jess said "Why don't me and you show the boys how real skaters skate"
"I'm down," Holly grinned.
"You do that," Joey laughed "Me and Sam will get some snacks"
"You're a lifesaver Joey," Sam sighed "I thought they were going to make me try that shit again"
"Don't think you're getting off that easy boys!" Holly called as she skated off with Jess.

It was later that evening, Holly sat in a lawn chair on the rooftop garden of her and Jess's apartment building.

"Your drink madam," Jess said in a poorly imitated British accent as she approached Holly and sat next to her.
"Don't quit your day job Jess," Holly laughed as she took the beer from her

They sat in silence for a moment, Holly had a lot on her mind and was appreciating the cool evening air.

"Are you ready for tomorrow?" Jess asked finally.
"No," Holly said without much hesitation "I don't really want to face that asshole again, but I guess I have to if I want him to stay away"
"I'm really sorry Holz," Jess sighed "I should have been here that night, I just.."
"You had to work," Holly interrupted. "It's not your fault...you'll be there for me tomorrow tho?"
"Absolutely!" Jess said "I don't have any sites launching tomorrow and they'll be ok without me for a day"

Holly smiled weakly before gazing at the skies again.

"Buuuuut I do have a favor to ask of you in return," Jess said. Holly raised an eyebrow, urging her to continue.
"I need you to test a site we're launching soon"
"You mean, you need me to break it" Holly laughed.
"Yeah, basically...our testers can't find any issues," Jess said
"It's fine," Holly said taking a sip of her beer "I like breaking things"

Jess laughed slightly.

"Serious question," Holly said suddenly, "Am I an idiot, sitting up here hoping he'll come back?"
"Pete?" Jess asked. Holly nodded, "No, I don't think so...you're impatient. But not an idiot"
"It's just...it's been a few weeks and he said he wouldn't be gone long...only-" Holly rambled
"A few weeks" Jess interrupted "I'm sure he'll be back soon, the question is...are you going to go with him?"

Holly was silent.

"I want to," she admitted. "Ugh...I'm being stupid.."
"Holly," Jess squeezed her shoulder slightly "You are going to be ok. No matter what, you'll be okay"
"Yeah, I guess you're right" Holly sighed "I'm just overthinking everything...it's normal."

*

"Space leeches..." Quill said, picking a small green slug-like creature off his arm before stomping on it "Of all the things we had to fight on Sakkar...it had to be space leeches..."
"I think I'm actually relieved we're going to Xandar next" Rocket admitted

"Are you going to tell that idiot we have better things to do, Starlord" Nebula spat.
"Relax," Peter said, taking off his shirt and tending to the various wounds he'd received "He's eventually going to get over his heartbreak and move on from us.."

"I am Groot," Groot sighed as vines slowly regrew into the shape of a hand.
"I know," Peter sighed "Get some sleep alright?"

"QUILL!" Thor said entering the common area of the ship. "Wasn't that an epic adventure?"
"I don't know if I'd say being attacked by space leeches is what I'd call epic..." Peter sighed as he bandaged another bite he'd found.
"Not to worry!" Thor grinned "I've found more adventure for us on -"
"Thor, buddy," Peter interrupted "We really need to get to Xandar, they've been expecting us for days now and they aren't exactly patient, plus we're already running behind and -"

"And Quill wants to get back to Terra" Drax said, appearing seemingly out of nowhere.
"Dude, seriously?" Quill sighed "That's not the only reason.."

Quill knew he was lying, but it had already been a few weeks and he'd promised Holly he wouldn't be away for more than a month.

"But we're the Guardians of the Galaxy," Thor laughed "Surely, it's our job-"
"I'll say what our job is," Quill retaliated "Let me get some rest and I'll decide what we're doing after we visit Xandar"

*

Holly stood in front of the local court house, she was dressed far more formal than she normally would be and anxiously checked her phone.

"C'mon Jess," she said nervously.
"Sorry I'm late Holz!" Jess said as she rushed up the sidewalk, "parking was a bitch, I'm parked about 3 blocks away"
"It's alright," Holly smiled weakly "I was only freaking out a little"
"Hey, it's going to be ok" Jess said hugging her shoulders.

"Holly," a voice said, sending a chill down her spine "Please, let me explain...let me apologize..we can work -"
"No, you can't" Jess cut in "That's why we're here"
"Would you for once let her speak for herself?" Nick yelled.
"She's right Nick, there's nothing left to talk about" Holly said plainly "Jess, let's go"

The court case hadn't been long and given the evidence, played out in Holly's favour.

"I've never been so relieved," Holly sighed as she hugged Jess.
"I know, and you deserve the relief" Jess agreed "Now, what do you say we grab something to eat, meet up with Sam, and decompress before training?"
"Sounds like a plan!" Holly laughed.

"Holly!" Coach Baldwin called out "Get your head in the game, we've got semi-finals in 2 weeks and I need you to captain this team"
"Yeah, thanks coach," Holly muttered to her teammates as they huddled up.
"It's not like you have a million things already on your plate," her teammate, Mary said.
"Right??" Holly agreed "Still, I owe it to you guys to do better.."
"Shut up Holly," another teammate scolded "You're doing fine, we're going to kick ass in semi-finals"
"Thank fuck you're so sure!" Holly laughed "Right, let's run play 15, Baldwin has been obsessed with that one so let's show her we can nail it"

*

"Mr. Quill," a tall woman with sweeping white hair, greeted warmly "It's so good to finally see you"
"Thank you, Nova Prime" Peter smiled, shaking her hand "Sorry we were delayed in coming to Xandar, duty calls.."
"Please, you have nothing to apologize for" Nova Prime smiled "Your team did so much in the last year to help Xandar finish rebuilding"

She nodded warmly to Rocket, who's ears flattened slightly.

"Yeah, well.." Rocket said as he rubbed a paw over his neck, seeming embarrassed "It was nothin' after what Thanos did.."

Rocket always had issues accepting praise, especially from Nova Corps, when he used to be one of their most wanted. But his attitude had changed toward Xandar since the snap and it was Rocket who led the team in assisting Xandar while Peter was away.

"Now, onto important business" she continued. "We have can temporarily host those who were displaced recently, but our primary objective, is to find homes for Xandarian citizens who have come back"
"I understand," Quill nodded. "It's a common problem across the galaxy"
"Now, from my understanding, you spent time on Terra," Nova Prime said "How are they handling the displaced?"
"Well, um.." Peter stalled. "I was there to..relax..after the war..."
"He met a woman," Drax added.
"Dude, seriously??" he said annoyed.
"While I'm happy for you Mr. Quill," Nova Prime interrupted "We are running out of ideas"
"Earth has S.H.I.E.L.D," Peter answered "As far as I know, they were in charge of finding homes for those who needed a home after the blip"
"Damn," she sighed heavily "We really are stretching our resources thin trying to house those in this quadrant who were displaced"
"We'll do what we can to help" Peter assured "I'm doing what I can to get us back on track and make this a priority.."
"Yeah, once we cure a depressed God," Rocket said.
"No," Peter disagreed "We will make this a priority"

"So any ideas on finding a place for these people?" Rocket asked as they entered The Benatar.
"Not really," Peter admitted.
"What about Knowhere?" Nebula asked
"Thanos destroyed it," Peter said.
"We could rebuild," Mantis thought.
"We'd have to talk to The Collector," Peter added "But no one seems to know where he is.."
"Didn't you say you needed to go to Contraxia to see Howard?" Rocket asked.
"I know you want to kick your little feet up as much as I do, but we need to figure this out" Quill teased "And I need to see Howard about something totally different"
"What I'm saying is," Rocket began "Howard, probably knows where The Collector is, so we can figure out this thing Nova Prime wants and you can talk to Howard about whatever you're after while we all have a few drinks and relax for a bit"
"That's....a good point" Peter agreed.

"Mantis, set coordinates for -" Peter said before being interrupted.
"TEAM!" Thor greeted enthusiastically "You're back just in time! I've set coordinates for our next adventure!"
"Wait, WHAT??" Quill demanded.

*

"Ok, new game," Sam interrupted Holly's thoughts "Anytime Holly glances skyward, take a shot"
"Oh shut up!" Holly laughed "Who's turn is it?"
"Your's dear," Joey said.
"Fine, wild...draw 4 Sam," Holly said.
"Dammit!" Sam laughed.
"Drunken rooftop Uno is always worth it just to see Sam get his ass kicked" Jess teased.

It was a few weeks later, neighbors from Holly and Jess's building had gathered for an evening barbecue to celebrate fall, after most had dispersed, Holly, Sam, Jess and Joey remained playing various games.

Holly was quiet as she took a drink.

"Doing alright Holz?" Jess asked.
"I guess," Holly shrugged "I feel pathetic...but it's been over a month, hell, almost 2 months...I guess, I thought he'd be back sooner..I'm starting to worry..."
"Seriously, stop that" Sam said "I know you miss him, but worrying is going to drive you insane."
"Skip" he said to Jess as he placed a card in the pile.
"DAMMIT SAM!" Jess laughed "That's the 3rd time you've skipped me!"
"Not my fault the cards weren't shuffled decently," he said.
"I never said I was good at shuffling cards" Joey laughed.
"I just hope he hasn't forgotten about me or something," Holly sighed.
"Holly, you know that's not true," Joey consoled "I'm sure he's just run into some sort of heroic delay"

Holly looked skyward again, hoping to see something...anything..that indicated Quill was coming back.

"I hope you're right," she smiled weakly before returning her attention to the game.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N:  soooo...it's been awhile since I last updated, I was getting better traction on AO3 with this one and forgot to update here.  I've also caught up to myself a bit in what I've posted there, but I'll post more soon :)  

Chapter song:

https://youtu.be/PnJV2Nrj2VQ

Thanks as always for reading, I hope I have readers on this one still...likes and comments really do make my day more than people realize <3

~Sminky