STARGIRL

seventeen

Eleanor lay awake with her headphones clipped into Peter's spare Walkman that she hadn't used in a while. She was sadly singing along to the music, quiet enough that she wouldn't wake anyone else up.

"Like a bridge over troubled water," she whispered with a soft sigh, "I will lay me down."

She was still feeling betrayed from Peter's comment. What did he mean finally found his family? She was his daughter, his own flesh and blood but somehow he didn't feel like she was family?

Her head looked up when she heard hurried footsteps coming towards her. "Mantis?"

The woman looked absolutely terrified, her hands were shaking as she shook Eleanor, "You need to help me wake Drax. Peter's in trouble."

"What?"

Eleanor sat up and pulled the headphones from her ears. She stuffed the Walkman in her pocket as she hurried after Mantis into Drax's room. He was snoring in his sleep and the two leapt onto his bed, "Drax, Drax. Drax! Drax! We need to talk."

"I'm sorry," replied Drax, "But I like a woman with some meat on her bones."

"What?"

"I tried to let you down easily by telling you I found you disgusting."

"No, that's not what I... I don't even like you like that."

"Listen to her, Drax!" Eleanor yelled, and Drax sat up, looking surprised that Eleanor was there also.

"Ego's gotten exactly what he wanted," explained Mantis, "I should have told you earlier. I'm stupid. You are in danger."

As Mantis explained properly to Eleanor and Drax, who was now out of bed, Gamora came rushing over and grabbed Mantis by her neck. She threw her up to the wall, "Who are you people? What is this place?" Gamora asked angrily.

"Gamora! Let her go!" Drax yelled.

"The bodies in the caverns..." continued Gamora, "Who are they?"

"You are scared." Mantis whispered, and Gamora instantly got away, causing Mantis to drop onto the floor coughing.

"What did she do to me?" Gamora said, in a panicked voice, breathing heavily.

Drax looked over at her, "She already told me and Eleanor everything."

Eleanor shifted away slightly from Nebula, who had just stood next to the girl. She still didn't forgive the woman for almost killing her. She glanced over at Gamora, "Uhh, is she supposed to be here?"

Mantis stood up, "The bodies..." she cut off Eleanor, "are his children."

Eleanor felt her blood run cold as she stared at Mantis, "W-what do you mean his children? I thought Dad was his only son."

Mantis looked terrified. Gamora gritted her teeth, "We need to find Peter now, and get off this damn planet." Mantis spoke, "Ego will have won him to his side by now. He has a way..."

"Then we just go." interrupted Nebula.

Eleanor glared at her, "No!" she and Gamora said at the same time.

"He's our friend." added Gamora.

"He's my dad."

"All you do is yell at each other," commented Nebula, "You are not friends."

Drax looked at her, and then back at the others, "You're right. We're family. We leave no one behind," he looked back at Nebula, "Except maybe you." Eleanor physically stopped a laugh.

Gamora's device started to beep, "Finally!" she sighed happily, "Rocket?"

"Keep that transmitter nearby, so I can find you," replied the raccoon, "We're in an old piece of construction equipment Yondu once used to slice open the Bank of A'askavaria."

Eleanor followed Mantis and Drax. She still heard Gamora, "Ego's unhinged."

The group ran towards the main room that Ego showed them around earlier. They spotted Peter lying down on the floor and a massive ship with rubble around it. The door of the ship opened and little Groot waved at the others. "Out of the way dumber, smaller Groot!" Drax yelled, as four of them hoisted their selves into the ship.

"Don't be mean to him, he's just a baby," Eleanor frowned at Drax, and then she crouched beside Groot, "Hi, are you okay?"

Groot nodded, and Eleanor picked him up. She held him close as Gamora and Peter stumbled towards the ship. Once they got on, Peter turned to look at Nebula.

"What's Smurfette doing here?"

"Whatever I need to do to get a damn ride home." Nebula replied, sounding bored.

Eleanor placed Groot onto the floor as she smiled across at Peter, and slowly slid over to him, "Hey, Dad."

"Hey, bean," Peter smiled at her, "I'm so sorry."

Eleanor shrugged, "It's okay."

"No, it's not," Peter said, sighing, and bringing her into a hug, "I've been the worst dad in the world only because I found out I had this great new super power thing and I wanted to spend more time with Ego to learn about it, and I pushed you away, and I got mad at you. You didn't deserve that at all, baby, and I'm so so sorry."

"Can we stop the soppy apology?" yelled Rocket, from the front of the ship.

Drax turned to the others as massive blue vines came from out the floor, "How do we kill a Celestial?"

"There's a centre to him!" yelled back Peter, as Eleanor still had her arms wrapped around him, "His brain, his soul, whatever it is... Some sort of protective shell."

"It's in the caverns below the surface." Mantis said, nervously, as Eleanor pulled away from the hug.

Peter started to head up the ladder as the vines started to wrap around the ship. It started to try and lift up, but the vines had a strong grip. The ship fell back to the group. Eleanor called out in fright as she went flying into the wall. Drax held onto her, and she thanked him, "You are just a baby too." he muttered.

Not more than 10 seconds later, the ship powered straight ahead, smashing into the emerging Ego. Eleanor felt her body jolt forwards, but because of Drax's strong arms she didn't go anywhere.

Everyone yelled as the ship started to fall towards the ground. As well as gripping onto Drax's upper arm, Eleanor held onto the wall as well to keep herself secure. The ship went underground and Eleanor heard the repeated sounds of the ship hitting against the rock. Her legs started to shake slightly and they almost buckled out from under her, but she managed to stand strong.

The door broke off the side and Gamora grabbed Mantis before she fell out. Eleanor was worried for Groot.

"Woah!" Gamora whispered, as the smaller group looked out the gap in the ship at the centre core of Ego.

"Holy s-" Eleanor started to say. "Language!" Peter yelled down from upstairs. Eleanor looked over at Drax, "How'd he hear that?" Drax shrugged.