Give Them Back To Me

Not A Pleasant Visit

Gamora's eyes fluttered open, the first thing she sees is her child, sleeping peacefully in her arms. The next she saw was Peter fast asleep with his hand placed on the young girl's hand. Gamora could tell deep down Peter would be good with kids. Now it was their time to make up for the last twelve years of their daughter's life. 

Gamora got out of bed carefully, trying not to wake either Peter nor Meredith. She exited the room and walked into the kitchen to find Rocket and Nebula making breakfast. It was a strange sight to her, but it was a nice one. Nebula sensed Gamora's presence first.

"We'll be arriving at Xandar in about two hours," was all she said to her sister, emotions shut off. Gamora couldn't figure out why, but she was not going to press the issue with Drax and Groot entering the room. 

"How is she?" Rocket asked, finishing breakfast and placing it in the middle of the table for free reign of the Guardians. 

"Most importantly, since when did Rocket cook?" Drax asked in a sarcastic tone as he began to stuff his face. Rocket just shrugged, moving the dirty dishes to the sink. 

"I don't know, probably when I had to raise Starshit and Gamora's kid," Rocket said in spite, catching Peter walking into the room without Meredith. "Ya know she should be up by now, she's gotta eat something before we land on Xandar."

"And since when have you given the orders around here! She's my kid and if she needs to sleep, let her sleep," Peter lashed out back at Rocket, closing the distance between the two. Nebula and Gamora were already up and ready to split the two apart if need be.

"Well considering you've been gone for the last twelve years who do you think has been giving the orders, and last time I checked who's the one who raised her?" Rocket finished his statement, and in result, earned Peter's fist in his face. Nebula grabbed Rocket before his could attack Peter back and Gamora threw Peter backward into a chair, ending the feud quickly.

Soon, the whole room was engulfed in shouting. Everyone was yelling over each other, no sentences were made out fully. A voice that entered the conversation was the one to end it all.

"Stop fighting now!" Wailed none other than Meredith Quill. All heads turned in her direction as she entered the room. She didn't say a word as she grabbed Peter's hand and led him over to Rocket, directing them both to sit down.

"Can you two stop fighting, it's annoying and immature. You are my dad, but you've been gone for twelve years. Uncle Rocket raised me with the help of Auntie Nebula. So stop fighting and be thankful! Or so help me I will put your ass back in the Soul Stone until you are ready to stop being a jackass," Meredith lecture, hands crossed over her chest. Drax broke the awkward silence with laughter, slamming his hands down on the table.

"She really is Gamora and Quill's kid! Quill's own child called him a jackass!" Drax and Groot broke out in laughter, falling out of their chairs. Peter and Rocket were both too stunned by Meredith's outburst to say anything in response. 

Meredith was tired of all the loud noises, so she took a pan from the sink and threw it at the wall, silencing the room once again. 

"Breakfast?" Meredith asked, grabbing some of the food from the middle and placing it on a plate. 

Everyone had seen the Quill in her, and now they had seen the Gamora in her.

They had finally arrived on Xandar, and Peter felt more joy than ever being back in the pilot seat, actually flying his ship. Rocket was not in his normal seat next to Quill, but instead off talking to Meredith somewhere. The Nova Corps had already contacted them not long after the battle once everyone started to come back from the Soul Stone. 

Once the ship had landed, Rocket and Meredith appeared. Peter felt anxious about it, but blew it off, feeling bad for snapping at him earlier. He was right, Rocket raised her. He had to give him that. 

Everyone exited the ship together, but Gamora could sense the tension. She was also concerned at the fact Meredith was wearing Peter's old helmet, covering every inch of her skin. Nebula was nervous as well, but Gamora could not think of a reason as to why.

The Guardians were greeted with roaring praise from the residents of Xandar, grateful for their aid in the rest of the Souls that were trapped. Peter let the praise rebuild his ego, his sense of pride from before the war against Thanos. Gamora grabbed Peter, leading him away from the fans and into the Nova Corps building. 

Once inside, scans were taken of everyone, but two people were missing. Everyone had seen them exit the ship along with them, but must have lost them in the crowd. Peter spoke up to say something, but Rocket elbowed him in the side, lifting a finger up to his lips and shaking his head. Peter opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by the sounds of alarms. They hadn't even been on the planet for 20 minutes, what could have possibly happened.

That was when he saw a live feed of Nebula being captured by the Nova Corps units. 

"We thank you for bringing this criminal back so her crimes can finally receive their long-awaited punishment," one of the commanders said. The Guardians did not recognize him, but the same thought went through everyone's head.

Jackass

"It's been twelve years!" Gamora exclaimed, marching up to the commander and grabbing him by the collar.

"And what good has she done in those twelve years to prove she is no longer a threat?" 

Gamora opened her mouth to speak, to remind them of the fact she helped defeat Thanos along with Rocket and -

That's when it hit her, they didn't know about Meredith.

Rocket took over speaking to the man, explaining to him about the fight against Thanos on the Terran planet. He rumbled on about how she was the one to remove the gauntlet. The commander seemed to believe it, speaking through an earpiece to the units to demand they release Nebula. The guards did so immediately. 

Nebula was brought to where the Guardians were, rubbing his wrists and staring down every guard that had a hold on her. Soon the Guardians were in a conference room, the commander and other thanking them in their efforts to restore the universe and informing them about different jobs they would like the Guardians to take. Boring stuff that the Guardians didn't give much thought about. What was really on everyone's mind was two things: Where is Meredith, and why did Rocket lie?

Once the Guardians were release, it was not long before Rocket and Nebula were cornered outside. Nebula kept her calm composure while Rocket was typing away on an unfamiliar device.

"What the hell is going on Rocket? Why did you lie to them back there?" Peter fired away the first chance he got. Rocket sighed in defeat, leaning up against the wall. 

"Tell me just how much you think your daughter would cost on the black market then ask me again why I lied," was all Rocket said, checking the device again as worry spread across his face. 

"So nobody knows she even exists?" Drax asked. Rocket's fist clenched tightly as he turned the device towards the others. A picture of Meredith tied to a chair without her helmet lit up the screen.

"Well somebody knows now."