I Need A Hero Vol. 4 {Peter Quill}

two

Helena and Meredith wandered the castle in search of Gwen and the others.  Both of them had run into Nebula as she walked down the halls. She was coming back from the kitchen with a Yaro Root in hand.

"You two look like you're in a hurry. What's going on?" Nebula asked.

"Auntie Nebula, do you know where my mom is? She's left her room since I've last been in there" Meredith inquired.

"I think she was heading off to the garden. Did something happen that I should know about?"

"Natasha Romanoff contacted us on the ship. She said something happened and we should meet them on Earth as soon as possible" Helena explained.

"I'll go gather the others"

"Tell them to meet us on the ship" With that, Nebula parted ways from Helena and Meredith. The two of them made their way to the garden, where hopefully Gwen would be.

~

Gwen sat on a bench that was placed under a tree. She had been crying for the past ten minutes. She wanted her Peter with her. She wanted his hugs again, and his kisses.

But she felt like she was never going to get him back. She was never going to get Gamora, Drax, Mantis, Groot, Damien, Ophelia, and even Quentin back.

"Daughter?" Xavier's voice had pulled her away from her thoughts. She looked to him, wiping her tears as she did so. Xavier joined his daughter on the beach. "You've been crying again, I've noticed"

"I just want him back, father" Gwen whimpered. Xavier took her hand in his.

"I know you do, daughter. I want my Ophelia back. I want my son back. I want them all back"

"Father, there's something I've been thinking about and I've been discussing it with Thor" Gwen took a deep breath before she continued on. "I can't stay here anymore"

"What do you mean?"

"On Kosmo. I can't stay on Kosmo anymore" Tears began swelling in Xavier's eyes at his daughter's confession. "It's too much to stay here without my Peter. I've talked about it with Thor, and we've agreed that we're going to leave and live on Earth together"

"But daughter, you can't leave. What about your family, your friends, your kingdom? What of your daughter Gwen? She needs you"

"Meredith has already grown up. She doesn't need me anymore" Gwen painfully admitted. "As for the others, they can take care of themselves without me. If Helena wants, she can take my place as Queen"

"Take your place as what?" The surprised voice of Helena echoed through the garden. Her and Meredith approached Xavier and Gwen. "Did I just hear you say what I think you said?"

"Yes, sister, you did. I'm leaving Kosmo with Thor and we're going to go live on Earth. You can take my place as Queen. That is what you've always wanted, isn't it?"

"At first, yes, that is what I wanted" Helena confessed. Her throat suddenly became tight and her eyes began swelling with tears. "But all that time I spent in prison made me realize how wrong that was. Becoming queen meant nothing to me anymore, but becoming your sister did"

"Mom," Meredith's voice cracked. She was on the brink of crying but she managed to hold back. "Where would you live on Earth? You haven't been there in thirty years"

"Thor has friends that survived Thanos and the snap. We're all going to find a quiet, peaceful place and settle there. We're going to call in New Asgard after Thor's home" Gwen explained. There was something else she wanted to say but she almost didn't want to. She knew how Helena and Meredith would react.

"Sister, there is something else you want to tell us, so just come out and say it" Helena pleaded, her voice quiet.

"Thor and I have decided that once we settle on Earth, we're going to have a ceremony"

"A ceremony?" Meredith's voice boomed. She knew exactly what her mother meant. "You mean a wedding ceremony, don't you?"

"Sweetheart, I understand--" Gwen didn't get to finish as Meredith had cut her off.

"No, mom! You don't understand! You're married to my father! You are married to Peter Jason Quill! Why would you do this to him!?" Meredith was getting angry now. Her eyes began glowing blue and her feet had lifted off the ground. She was now towering over her mother. "And were you even considering taking me with you when you left? Or were you just going to leave me here without a mother?"

"Why couldn't you have just grown up like a normal child!?" It was now Gwen's turn to become angry. She bawled her fists, and energy started forming around them. "I wanted the chance to raise you, but you took that away from me when you turned into this!"

That tipped Meredith over the edge. A blue tentacle erected from the ground, and without completely thinking her actions through, she hit her mother with it, which sent Gwen crashing against the wall. When Gwen picked herself up, she sent a big ball of energy her daughter's way. It ended up hitting Meredith in the face. Half of her face had melted off but that didn't last for long as she had reconstructed her face.

They both marched over to each other, ready to attack each other again when Helena stepped in between them. "Enough!" She boomed. Gwen and Meredith jumped at the sound of her voice but it made them stop before they could do more harm to each other. The two of them calmed down and looked at Helena. "I have a lot I want to say to both of you right now, but it's gonna have to wait. Gwen, Natasha Romanoff contacted me. She says it urgent that we meet them on Earth as soon as possible"

"Wonderful. The faster I can get off this planet the better." Gwen spat with venom in her voice. She marched away. Xavier wanted to go after his daughter, but Helena stopped him.

"Father, don't. She needs to calm down right now"

"I suppose you're right. If we're heading to Earth, I'll need to collect a few things of mine. I'll meet you girls on the ship" Xavier spoke. He made his way back into the castle, leaving Helena and Meredith alone.

"Are you alright, Meredith?"

"I suppose, yeah" Meredith assured. She felt guilt from attacking her mother wash over her. She didn't mean to do it. She just became angry and lost it. "Auntie Helena, mom knows I didn't mean to hit her, right? I was just mad and--"

"Sweetheart," Helena placed her hands on Meredith's shoulders. "I know. It wasn't your fault and it wasn't Gwen's eithers. She's just going through a lot right now, and she's not thinking right. Your father being gone is killing her inside"

"She's not really going to marry Thor, is she? She can't. Not if we're going to get my dad back" Meredith was silent for a moment. "We are, aren't we?"

"I really hope so, Meredith. I really hope so"