THE DAUGHTER OF PETER QUILL |> gotg

8 (finale)

Miss Cati. That was it. That was all there was to her name, but times were changing, and the more she knew, the more she grew, and the more that she wanted to forget. This... Was the ending of her beginning.

“C-Cati.”

Faces, all depressed at what they had just heard from the young girl. “I do not want to hear excuses, pleads, or apologies. I don't need them. You lied to me, my whole life is based on something that you told me because I could apparently never know the real truth.”

Cati turned around, standing on a wrecked battlefield. At least, it was one. The newly found Guardians of the Galaxy were all standing behind her, frowning weakly. One of them in particular, was very hopeful and happy.

“W-We... Did it to protect your mind girl, to save you from the truth. Something that would hurt you. Very, easily.” Yondu looked very worried and upset, desperately wanting Cati to be with him, to go back on the ship. Although she didn't want to go back there, being trapped from the galaxy. Safety was her only option there.

Peter Quill, needed to speak up, telling her to come along. “A-And you! I don't need you! Peter Quill, either.”

The man frowned, staring at her with shaken thoughts. “W-What?”

Cati's anger was boiling up inside of her, glaring at him with her tiny beady eyes. “You, lied to me. Told me that you weren't really my father? Remember that?” She asked, standing very still while the people around her watched this situation take place.

“Don’t tell me you did it to protect me, because I don't care— I can't spend my life being treated differently and as though I am smaller, because I may be tiny and young, but we are the same size.” The girl stared at them both, looking back and fourth. “And you know what? It makes me feel better when I say that—”

“I hate you!”

Everyone was silent. The tremendous guilt they must've felt, how happy she was now though, to finally get something like that off of her chest. “I-I... Hate you...”

It didn't matter what had just happened, the Guardians had all just connected as one. Happy together, fought together. Yondu’s crew just wanted the orb. Where was she? In this huge... Mess.

“I need to go on my own. Be by myself, I don't need a father, or a family—” Cati felt this unknown weight lifted off her chest, as if she was holding back something very powerful and strong.

While turning on her heel, she began to walk away. Peter had rushed after. “CATI!” The girl flipped around, glaring angrily. “I suggest. Staying. Here. Quill.”

Every single one of them stood still. Peter's face was pale with regret, unsure of what to do. “I-I’m s-so s-sorry...” He whispered while bowing his head.

Cati climbed up a destroyed mountain of scraps, coming from the ship and dirt itself. When getting to the stop, she stopped. Staring forward at the new, open world. What path would she take?

Thinking, she lit up.

Her own path.