Because I Love You

Please Don't Go

His head was pounding. Definitely a migraine. He held his hand out in front of him to block the harsh light beaming down on him.

There was movement to his right and he turned to see a man dressed in dark blue robes and a deep red cape. Dr. Strange.

The older man offered him a hand and he quickly accepted, allowing himself to be pulled up on unsteady legs.

"M-Mr. Strange," he asked uncertainly. "What's happening?"

They seemed to be standing in a graveyard of old, alien spaceships, surrounded by dust and debris.

Doctor Strange shook his head. "No time to explain. We need to get to the others."

"Others? W-what others?" The older man walked off, ignoring him completely. "Mr. Strange," he called out, but he received no reply. Biting his lip, he followed after him, not knowing what else to do.

When he heard a deep roar in the distance, he ran, leaping nimbly over scraps of metal until he came across the strange sight of a red cape restraining a man with equally red tattoos coating his entire body... Drax?

"I'll kill him! I'll kill Thanos!" The warrior was screaming, his fists tightly clenched around sharp daggers, restrained by a surprisingly strong piece of fabric.

Doctor Strange held up his hands placatingly. "You will have your opportunity. But first, we must find your friends."

This seemed to be enough to calm the warrior and the red cape released him, returning to its home atop Doctor Strange's shoulders.

Their heads turned when they heard a faint call. The trio raced towards the feminine voice until they found a girl with large eyes and glowing antennae coughing weakly... Mantis?

Drax ran over to her and helped her stand on her feet. He seemed relieved to find the young woman alive and well. She placed a delicate hand on the warrior's broad shoulder. "I am... fine," she assured him, her breath returning slowly.

Doctor Strange glanced around. "Where is Mr. Quill?"

Mantis turned her head, her eyes moving to rest on a man hunched over, his hands desperately clutching his head. As the group moved closer to him, they could hear his faint mumbling. "What did I do? What did I do?"

Doctor Strange was the first to speak. "Mr. Quill," he said, his voice cold and clinical. "I am sorry for your loss, but we need to go. Thanos has amassed an army and will unleash it upon the world unless we stop him."

Quill turned to look at his friends and allies, his eyes bloodshot. "I'm gonna kill that bastard."

Doctor Strange offered a thin smile and turned to the boy beside him. "Are you ready, Peter?"

"For what?" Peter had no idea what was going on. The last thing he could remember was him and Ned on a school bus and seeing a giant spaceship outside the window. He told his friend to provide a distraction and jumped out of the emergency exit and then... oh no.

The battle. He and Mr. Stark were fighting the children of Thanos. They followed Mr. Strange onto a spaceship and came to this planet where they found the Guardians and fought Thanos. But they failed and then...

Peter whipped around. "Wait. D-Did I die? Am I dead? Are we all ghosts and-"

Doctor Strange held out his hand. "I can assure you, you are very much alive. But not for long if we do not go right now."

As Mr. Strange began to create a portal, his hands moving dramatically to form a circle of golden light, Peter cried out. "Wait." The older man sighed and stopped. "What is it?"