AN: Sorry again guys for taking so long. Life, writer's block etc. you guys heard it before. Nothing is mine.

The recent loss of David Bowie and Alan Rickman was a great tragedy to the creative community. I would like to dedicate this chapter to them. To anyone who is reading this cherish your loved ones. Make everyday count!

Calmness. That was all Peter felt. He hasn't felt calm like this since before he left Terra, since before his mother got sick. Even three days ago when in the grips of the power stone, seeing his again didn't being him this sense of tranquility. It was a feeling Peter would like to get used to.

Even through the fog of peacefulness; Peter knew he was asleep, and he knew he needed to wake up. He needed to wake up and feel the adrenaline, the fear, the uncertainty, the stress and all the other emotions that build up in his conscious life. But he would relinquish in the nice feeling for a few moments longer.

Pain. That was what Peter was beginning to feel. It started in his skin, and then traveled deeper into body. Like a virus it made his way up and down his body conquering every nerve in it's path.

Yet he did not react to the pain, because he was calm. He knew calm and pain didn't go together. He should be riving and withering, but he couldn't find the energy through the calmness. The pain receded slightly and instead of the sharp, hot pain as it was before, it was now a dull pain. Receding in and out like waves in an ocean current.

Numbness was what Peter felt. Calm. Pain. Calm. . Numbness. Fear. Power. Purple. Fear. Pain. Numbness. Stress. Fire. Pain. Calm. Mom...Dad?

Peter knew he needed to wake up.
-

J'son had just nodded off when felt movement from Peter. His head was still rested on J'son lap, but he hadn't moved since they were thrown into the cell together. They could have been three hours or three days for all he knew. He was never good with keeping time.

Reaching over he grabbed the small orb of light and held it up to Peter's face. Beads of sweat reflected in the light as it covered Peter's face. J'son pushed his leather jacket off of Peter, then used his sleeve to wipe the moisture off his face. Gently stoking hair, he tried to encourage his son to wake up.

Peter's eyes were fluttering beneath his eyelids, he rubbed his cracked and dried lips back and forth in a subconscious need for water. Gently, J'son slid his hands under Peter's back and slowly pushed him up to a semi-sitting position. Grabbing the container of water, he held it to Peter's lips.

"Peter, Peter if you can hear me I'm going to give you some water," J'son whispered into Peter's ear.

"Hmm ok," Peter mumbled faintly, still not completely awake.

J'son tipped the water slightly onto Peter's lips, opening his mouth instinctively he gulped the water into his mouth. His throat dry and mouth parched. Once he felt the water Peter's eyes jolted open, hand coming up and taking the container from J'son hand, now completely awake.
J'son continued to hold Peter up as he drank, rubbing a comforting hand over his back. Peter coughed, spurting water across the room.

"Easy, easy there," J'son murmured soothing take the container from his hand.

Now more awake Peter sat up fully and rubbed his head. J'son inched away to give him some room. A lot had happen to the kid in the past couple days and with Peter injured, J'son hoovering would only irritate and antagonize him.

Peter felt...he felt much like he did when he was sleep. He was in pain but he was calm about it. Like he instinctively knew that he would be OK, that it wouldn't last long. He felt fear but also security. Anger but also peace.

He looked around but he knew exactly where he was. They were in the Yondu's holding cells. After Peter was taken from his mother, they held him in there for two days. This was the last place he wanted to wake up.

Peter turned to sit back against the wall but hissed in pain as the cut grazed the wall. Out of the corner of his eye Peter could see the concern on the Emperor's face. Taking a moment, Peter took stock of his injuries. His ribs were definitely broken, he could feel something tight around his torso. It was only when he moved his hand to pull up his shirt up did he notice the green cast on his arm.

"The blast broke your arm pretty bad," J'son spoke softly, reaching over to the grab the medical scanner, handing it to Peter. "There is a list on there if you want to take a look."

"Are..are you hurt," Peter asked, voice croaking with disuse. He could see the tired eyes on the King's face.

"I'm fine? How are you feeling?" J'son replied.

"Sore and groggy," Peter admitted, exhaustion in his voice despite just waking up.

"That's to be expected. You took quite a beating. When I fixing you up I gave a partial sedative."

"Why?" questioned Peter, he took the scanner and started flipping through it.

"I didn't want you to feel any pain. I'm not sure what you remember. After Udonta fired on us with that rocket, it blasted us out of the window. That is were the majority of your injuries came."

There was a moment of silence from the two. It was comfortable due to their exhaustion, but with each passing second it was becoming increasingly more noticeable.

"What happened?" Peter asked quietly. The calmness from the sedative must of still been effect. The anger he felt for his father was present but quiet in his mind. He would what he had to say.

"After I retrieved you on the balcony. Udonta and his men took us captive and threw us in here, I'm not exactly sure for how long. Since they didn't kill us on the spot, my guess is that they are going to ransom us," sighed J'son, worry lacing his voice.

"That's not what I meant," Peter responded turning his head towards his father. "What happened 32 years ago between you and my mother?"

The King took a deep breath in, he had hoped they would be in a better situation when he recounted the tale to Peter. But this would have to do.

"I landed on your mother's ranch in the Earth year of 1978, three years before you where born. Your mother's grandfather had just died and he left her a sizable piece of land. Like the hard worker she was, she cultivated that land herself and began her life as a simple farmer," J'son recalled smiling.

One of the things that drew him to Meredith was her determination, her fire and her love for that which she had.

"She did love that ranch," Peter agreed, "sometimes I think she lived for that work."

The King gave a small smile at his son's comment. "The last thing your mother wanted was my ship to fall out of the sky and destroy her tractor."

"Wait, you mean the 56' John Deer?" Peter question curiously.

"That's the one, when your mother and I were better acquainted she gave me an earful for that."

"She told me you ruined it," Peter remembered with a smile.

"My hyper-drive had malfunction, crash landing me in a quadrant that I never even heard of. I crashed, and the next thing I knew your mother; all 145 pounds of her were carrying me to her house. I knew for sure at that moment the females of your species were the fiercest warriors."

They both shared a small chuckle.

"She was fighter," his son echoed.

"The crash wounded me bad, but your mother healed me in more ways then just the physical pain. With my ship damaged beyond repair, I had no choice but to send out a rescue signal and wait. But it was the best time in my life. I soon fell in love with Earth and its culture. I could hear David Bowie in mind sometimes."

"But most important of all I fell love with Meredith Quill," J'son of Spartox finished quietly.

"Then why did you leave," Peter demanded with more force.

"My planet was at war, but I was close to walking away from it. I was sick of the bloodshed, the politics, the everything that comes with being in line for throne built on bones. I want a simple life with your mother, but she convinced me to leave. That I could do some good as King rather then a bystander."

"My mom told me that you had a lot on your shoulders. I didn't know you were a King through," Peter said.

"There was one other thing, a reason why I left," J'son confessed quietly.

"It was me, wasn't it" Peter guessed, anger and rejection swirled in that question. He spent his life thinking he had been abandoned, and he was about to get the confirmation that he needed.

"NO, gods no Peter," the father reassured quickly and steadfast. Reaching his hand out, he clutched the fabric on his son's shoulder, as if to pull back the past and correct the future. "You were completely unexpected but not unwanted. Not for one second."

Peter didn't tense up or pull away. He wanted to believe this man, but there was more to this story.

"I had an Infinity Stone with me when I crashed. It gave her life and then subsequently it took it away."

Missouri, 1978

In the fifth second, the knife in the Buck's hand flew through the air and landed in the soft flesh of Meredith's stomach.

"NO," J'son yelled with a animalistic and fierce rage.

He yanked Meredith out Buck's hand and into his waiting a flash he bent down and scooped her up, her body lax with pain. With the only thing that mattered in his possession, he ran as fast as he could out of the room, down the stairs and into the kitchen. The drunken brute stumbling after them.

"You be fine, you be just fine," a panicked J'son uttered to the dying woman in his arms. Laying her gently on the kitchen table, he grabbed a towel placed it on the wound.

"Keep pressure on this. I'll back as soon as I take care of him," J'son explained taking her hand and replacing his with hers.

"Be...be careful, please," Meredith gasped, clutching his hand over her stomach. She didn't want to let him go. He was her safety, he was her love.

"I'LL GET YOU," they heard Buck yell from the hall way.

With one last look at her, J'son turned and walked out the kitchen door.

Meredith turned her head as and watched but couldn't see much from the table. The knife was still in her, and the pain was unbearable. Blood was still flowing despite her agonizing pressure.

The door separating her from the two men, swung back and forth rapidly.

The door swung open. She saw Buck reach the landing of the stairs.

The door swung close. She heard grunts of pain from both men.

The door swung open. She saw J'son tackle Buck to the ground.

The door swung close. She heard him say, "She's mine."

The door swung open. She saw J'son's hands around Buck's neck.

The door swung close. She heard a sharp crack. Followed by silence.

"Meredith," J'son bellowed as he climbed off the dead man and raced back to the kitchen. He would have tortured the bastard, he would have gave him the slow death he deserved. But her health was far more important then revenge.

"J'son," she coughed blood filling up her mouth.

"I''ll get you to the physicians, everything will be fine," J'son vowed, picking her up urgently. The blood had flooded onto the table and followed in a trail behind as they walked out they walked passed Buck's body and out the front door.

"The county hospital more then 40 miles away," Meredith breathed weakly, "I'm not going to make it."

"Yes you will," yelled J'son, fear dominating his voice as he hurried across the yard to the truck. Getting to the passenger side he opened the door and was about the slide her in when he heard her.

"I love you," whispered Meredith. What strength she had left her and she went limp.

"NO, NO, don't do this Meredith!" J'son pleaded, tears sliding down his face.

But it was no use, she was gone.

She was gone.

"No, you're not going where I can't follow," the Prince ordered.

Slamming the door shut, he changed his path and walked to the barn. Since he landed he hid what remained of his ship in there, it was his last piece of home that he had. Once inside, he laid Meredith down gently in a pile of hay. He took a breath and yanked the knife from her stomach. He brushed the hair away from her face and kissed her forehead.

This would work or he would join her in death's welcoming embrace.

Moving the tarp that covered his ship, he crawled inside the cockpit. Ripping open the hidden panels he retrieved the item he was shot down for. To the uneducated observer it seemed to be just an ordinary cube, no more then a paper weight. The contents inside however, has killed more people then it saved. Swiping his fingers over the edges in a complex pattern, the lid popped opened. A strong and warm yellow light light beamed out of the box. He grasped the Soul Gem, the sixth and final infinity stone.

Jumping out of the ship, he walked calmly over to his love. Despite the warm glow, it was cold and dead in his hands. Kneeling down he held it over her wound.

At first nothing happened, it was just a rock over a dead girl. Subtly the gem started dimming, but as it dimmed it gathered heat. Gradually the light source disappeared but the heat increased monumentally. The stone was almost unbearable to hold, until the heat disappeared.

Meredith eyes shot opened and she gasped in desperate need for air.

Pulling her up into sitting position, he gathered her in his arms. The sound of her breathing was like a beautiful orchestra, the returning warmth of her body was like a star being relight.

"I was dead," Meredith cried in between her shuttered breathing.

"Shhh it will be ok, it will be ok," J'son promised rocking back and forth.

Present Day

"After I revived your mother with the Infinity Stone, we visited a doctor. The wound, by all measures should have left your mother infertile. However less then six months later, she was pregnant with you."

"I don't understand," Peter stated confused, "what does that have to do with her cancer? With how she died?"

Licking his lips the King didn't know how to continue. "I knew that the stone would give her back her life but only for so long. It has a reputation for causing cells to grow abnormally, at a heighten and dangerous rate. Like the stone wants to give immortality to it host, but doesn't consider it immune system."

"Cancer," Peter whispered. The type of cancer that his mother had was very rare. It came on quick and vicious.

"Yes," J'son confirmed, "I thought she would have longer then she did. I'm so sorry."

"Why did you leave if you knew she was going die? If you knew I was coming?" Peter questioned teeth clenched.

"A couple weeks before you were born, a Spartoi rescue party came. My planet was in trouble and my father close to death. Plus they or my enemies would of found me sooner or later. You and your mother would have been in danger and I couldn't allow that to happen."

J'son fell silent for a few moments as he let his son take in everything. He tried to judge his emotions but it was difficult to see in the limited light. He could sense Peter's frustration, his anger but also his resolve and a yearning for something he never had.

"Why didn't you come back," Star-Lord asked turning his head and looking his father in the eye.

"I wanted too, but the Empire was in ruins after my father was killed. I needed to rebuild it for our people and there were dangers a long the way. Enemies that would have killed an infant heir to the throne without a second thought."

"I'm guessing it's not coincident that Yondu took me from Earth the day Mom died?"

"No it wasn't, " J'son disclosed, "When I had the situation under control, I wanted to bring you and your mother in but I had to do it discretely. I still had many enemies and very little options. So I hired the Ravagers, they were the best but I now know that I was a fool to trust them. I was desperate."

"They always called me cargo. Now I know why."

"Udonta set up a rouse. They blew up their old ship and disappeared. I thought you had died, but Peter you need to believe, if I knew were still with them. I would have killed everyone of these bastards to get you back," J'son said strongly and honestly.

Silence filled the room once more. The tired man had laid his cards on the table, it was up to his son now.

"It wasn't your fault," Peter finally relinquished, "I don't know what I would have done in your position. If it was me. Don't get me wrong this doesn't fix anything, but I understand why you did what you had to do."

The father sighed in relief, a feeling he had not had in 32 years. J'son wanted to wrap his arms around his son and make up for the all of the lost time.

"Peter you have to know, I loved you and your mother so much. I wanted nothing but the best for the both of you."

"And I believe you," Peter confessed.

"How are you feeling," J'son asked seeing the tiredness on his son's face, "How is your head and ribs?"

"They're fine," Peter gave his automatic response, "but what about my crew?"

"I didn't see them get taken, and Udonta didn't say anything about holding them captive," the King reassured, "I believe they escaped."

"Good, something tells me Yondu's not planning anything good for us," Peter observed.

J'son wanted to reassure his son that everything would be ok, but he didn't want to lie or give him false hope.

"That rocket that Udonta had, I never seen anything like it," J'son wondered.

"It's called the Hydron Enforcer," Peter said, "my crew mate Rocket made it."

"The raccoon," the King asked shocked.

"Yeah the raccoon," Peter replied nonchalantly.

They fell in silence but a sound come from the two. It started out as a low chuckle, but then gradually turned into full out laughter from both the King and the Prince. For a couple moments, the bleak cell didn't seem that dark as it reverberated the joyful sound.

"If I had a penny for every time I heard that," the King giggled, giving them another round of side splitting laughter.

"Uhh oww," Peter laughed in pain clutching his ribs, "don't make me laugh. It's hurts."

"Sorry," J'son said, out of breath.

"What do we have to work with," Peter assessed after calming down.

He looked around and picked up the flask full of alcohol. Unscrewing the top, he took a whiff followed by a small sip. Wincing as the liquor hit his throat, he handed it to his father.

"It's not bad, isn't? It gives you some heat in your sto..." J'son trailed off as a thought developed in his brain.

Peter looked over and saw the gears turning in his father's head, he knew what he was thinking. Grabbing the medical scanner, he turned to J'son.

"I have a plan!" the both said in unison.