Mandatory Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. They belong to Marvel.

How It Happened

Meredith Quill looked out her bedroom window and sighed. The sun had just begun to peak through the snow-covered forest that surrounded their home, indicating that it was time to start another day. Peter was likely still sleeping. They had been up late star gazing. Peter simply enjoying identifying the constellations, which were extra bright in the crisp winter sky, while Meredith had quietly searched for any sign that her Ego was returning to her. She hated that he had to leave, but understood how instrumental it was in keeping him alive. In their time together, she had always seen his strength slowly leave him, as though it were sometimes a struggle to even exist. It was hard to let him go, but she knew deep down that it was the trips back to his home world that ultimately allowed him to return to her. After he first left, she had been devastated, convinced that she would never see him again. Ego had surprised her, though, and kept his word by returning just under two years after he left. She couldn't believe how lucky she was to be in love with a spaceman that loved her in return. She was less distressed by his departure the second time, and even less the third. He had returned approximately every two years, and had stayed for a few months at a time. She always begged him to stay longer, reminding him how he had stayed for nearly a year the first time. He would always counter by pointing out how weak he had been by the time he left, at which point she always gave in. It had become a comforting routine, one she doubted she would ever give up.

Peter, on the other hand, found no comfort in the routine. He had been fine for the first departure, since he hadn't even been born yet, and for the second departure, as he was barely two years old. However, last time, Peter had cried and cried, begging his father not to leave. Ego was clearly moved by the genuine display, as he stayed an extra four months before he finally departed, and even the departure was slow and painful. Meredith wondered if Peter would even remember who Ego was when he saw him. Meredith had begged Ego to allow her to take a photograph of him, so that Peter would have something of him to hold on to while Ego was away, but he had always said that all his space travel had made his body difficult to photograph, so Meredith and Peter were left without anything that resembled his likeness. However, it had been almost two years, so Meredith was eagerly watching for any sign that Ego was returning. This time, she had decided to ask him to take them all with him, so that they wouldn't have to be apart anymore. Wherever Ego was from, there was clearly an educational system that could teach Peter, since Ego had to learn from someone. And if Ego could breathe Earth's air, surely his planet must have hospitable air as well. It would be so nice to have the family together permanently. Maybe they could even give Peter a sibling or two! Meredith beamed at the thought. With her resolve firmly set, Meredith turned from the window and went to her closet to find some clothes for the day.

Meredith's day went by quickly. She dropped Peter off at school and went to the local café to work her eight-hour shift as a waitress. Between the breakfast crowd and the lunchtime rush, it was time to pick up Peter before she knew it. She served a dinner of hot stew and left-over rolls from the café, then sent Peter to do his homework while she did the dishes. Soon enough, it was time to put Peter to bed. He begged to stay up and star gaze again, but Meredith reminded him how tired he had been all day because of their star gazing the previous night. Peter reluctantly gave in, and was asleep before Meredith had finished singing the first verse of "Brandy". She smiled to herself, and quietly closed the door behind her as she left his room.

The smile didn't last long, though. She moved to her window once again, looking for any sign of Ego. He had to be close! It was time! She began to pace slowly back and forth, eyes never leaving the window. He can't have forgotten where they live, so what was taking him so long? She had hardly slept in the last few weeks thanks to the quiet, growing dread that maybe Ego wasn't coming back this time. She sighed, and turned her back on the window. She couldn't keep this up much longer. She was beginning to get sloppy at work, and she couldn't afford to lose this job. With a sigh, she climbed into bed and tried to sleep.

Meredith must have dozed off, because the next thing she knew she heard the front door click as it closed. She quickly climbed out of bed and moved to her bedroom door, grabbing her pink bathrobe and pulling it around her tightly as she went. She reached the door and slowly opened it, finding that the light in the kitchen was on and someone was searching the fridge. A gasp escaped her lips, and the figure turned around.

"Ego!" whispered Meredith as she realized who was standing in front of her. She ran across the room and threw herself into his arms, squeezing him tightly.

Ego returned the hug, holding Meredith close to him. "I've missed you, my River Lily."

Meredith beamed into his should as she breathed in the familiar, comforting smell of Ego. He had come after all! He was everything she remembered; tall, handsome, and endearing. She debated waking Peter so that he could see his dad, but realized Ego would still be here in the morning, so there was no need to rush. Ego pulled back enough to look at Meredith's face and smiled. "I haven't been able to stop thinking of you, my dear."

"I've missed you too, Ego. So, so much. I've searched the stars every night for the last few weeks. I knew you'd be coming back soon!" Meredith remembered Ego had been searching the refrigerator and asked, "Are you hungry? I can make you a sandwich or something."

"I'd really appreciate that." With that, Ego took a seat at the small kitchen table and watched as Meredith prepared his sandwich.

"How have you been? How is your planet?" Meredith had so many questions she wanted to ask, but she knew there was no need to rush. Ego was home. There would be plenty of time. And when he was ready to leave, she was confident she and Peter would be going with him.

"It was good. I've been good" Ego responded. "Though I've missed you terribly. I couldn't get back fast enough." He never took his eyes off her as she brought him the finished sandwich and a glass of water. "Thanks, Brandy," he said with sly smirk. He then dug into his meal.

"I suppose I am Brandy now, aren't I? Bringing you food and drink, and waiting for you to drift in to port." Meredith looked away for a moment, struck by how sad that admission made her. "Your planet is the sea, isn't it? Your truest love." She gave him a sad smile and took his free hand.

Ego set his half-eaten sandwich down on the plate and took her hand in both of his. "Meredith, River Lily, you are my first and only love." The intensity of his stare told her that he meant every word. "I only return to my planet so that I might have the strength to return to you. I spend all my time away worried that something may have happened to you, that you might not be here when I return. That's why I'm only gone for two years at a time, instead of the four that I should be." He released her hand, smiled, and began eating again.

Meredith smiled back at him. This was her chance! She needed to ask him now, while the conversation was relevant and the pain of being without her was still fresh in his mind. She could make it look spontaneous, like the idea had just come to her. Then, if he happened to say no, she could always say it was just a thought. "Ego, can unexperienced space travelers survive on your planet?"

Ego looked up, surprised. "Well, I don't know. I don't think any unexperienced space travelers have ever reached my planet. Why do you ask?"

Ego look slightly apprehensive, but she wasn't willing to back down now. She wanted them to be a family again, wanted Peter to have a father who was around. She wanted to have a partner who would be there for her when she needed a break, a kind word, or a hug. He would understand. He had to! "Well, I was just… just wondering if, well…" She stumbled over the words, trying to find the right way to say it without sounding desperate or needy. She looked down and quickly said, "I mean, maybe Peter and I could come with you next time, live with you on your planet."

There, she'd said it. She looked up, and saw a flash of emotion cross Ego's face. It was an unfriendly emotion, almost like betrayal. She rushed to explain herself. "It's just, you always come to see us and you have to commit so much time traveling back to your planet just to survive, but Peter and I won't be hurt by not being on the Earth, so, I just thought…" She trailed off, unable to handle the blank, emotionless look Ego was now giving her. "Ego?"

Ego shook his head as though returning to the moment, smiled widely at Meredith, and said, "Sorry my dear, I was just thinking about all of the preparations I must make before you and Peter can come to my planet. It's a wonderful idea! I never asked, because I didn't want to make you leave the only home you've ever known."

Meredith beamed, eyes shining brightly as she accepted the meaning of Ego's words. She rushed to him and flung herself in his lap, hugging him tightly. She leaned back and kissed him, pouring all her gratitude and excitement into the action. They broke apart, and smiled at each other. Ego reached up and placed his hand on top of her head tenderly. His touch was warm and full of energy.

"Brandy, my dear, you're right. It's time you join me at sea. I must return home to procure passports so that you and our son can join me on my planet. It may take me a few Earth years, since the democracy on my planet is tedious, but I know that they'll approve it, especially since we have Peter."

Meredith gazed at him in wonder. It was really going to happen! They were really going to be a family together! She kissed Ego again fervently, and he laughed. He returned the kiss, and then gently pushed her back a bit. His face grew more serious. "Meredith, I know I just got here, but the sooner I start this paperwork and get it submitted, the sooner you and Peter will be able to join me."

Her face dropped as she comprehended his meaning. "What? You're… you're leaving already? But you haven't even seen Peter yet!" She quickly stood up and started for Peter's room. "You have to see him!"

Ego grabbed her arm as she walked by and pulled her back to him. "Meredith, he won't understand if I say hi and then leave. He may never forgive me. Think what that would mean for us on my planet." His stare implored her to listen to him. He seemed desperate to get her to listen. Maybe he had once had had a similar experience, and that's why he was so adamant that Peter not know he had been here.

Meredith sighed and sat in one of the empty kitchen chairs. "Fine. I see what you mean. Can I at least say I heard from you, and give him the good news?" Peter had to know that his father hadn't forgotten them. He seemed almost convinced that he didn't really have a father, and it broke her heart.

"That would be fine. It will give him something to look forward to over the next while." Ego smiled at her, and she felt at ease for the moment. But then Ego stood up, and she was filled with sadness once again. Ego's hand brushed the side of her face, and she stood up to hug him goodbye.

The hug lasted an eternity, but it still wasn't long enough for Meredith. "I love you, Ego. With all my heart."

Ego smiled sadly. "I know, my River Lily. I love you, too." With that, he let go of her and walked to the front door. Meredith was unable to follow, knowing that if she did, it would only delay the leaving process. Ego glanced back and smiled. The smile stayed with him as he walked out the door.

Meredith waited until she was sure that Ego was gone before slumping back into her chair. Her breaths came fast and shallow, and the tears began to flow. What had she done? What if he couldn't get the papers he needed? What if they didn't let him come back because of this? Meredith began to sob as all the terrible thoughts of what might happened rushed through her mind.

Several hours later, when the tears had finally dried up and she couldn't think of anything else that could go wrong, Meredith shakily stood and staggered to her bedroom. Her body, still clad in the pink bathrobe, had barely touched the bed before she was fast asleep, exhausted from her long, emotional night.

The next thing she knew, a small hand was patting at her. "Momma, it's time to get up. Momma, we have to go!"

Meredith sat up slowly, and looked around. Peter was standing next to her bed, dressed for school and looking very concerned. She then looked at the clock and realized what time it was. Her eyes widened, and she flung the covers back as she scrambled to get up and get ready. It was going to be a long day. She could feel it.

The time passed slowly for Meredith. Peter had taken their discussion about Ego's current mission well, and seemed excited to be going to another planet. It was hard for her to tell him that he couldn't tell others about where he would be going. She didn't want to upset someone and lose custody of Peter, after all. She knew how crazy it sounded. At times, she almost couldn't believe it was true. When those moments of doubt began to bother her, she returned to the small valley where Ego had first told her that he was from outer space. Seeing his flower always reminded her that he was real, and that he would keep his promise. She often talked to it, telling it how excited to see its planet of origin she was and how much she loved and missed Ego. The flower often seemed as though it understood, pulsing with its odd energy in varying patterns. She found it oddly comforting, as though she were talking to Ego himself.

It had been almost a year now, and Meredith had become quite stressed about her and Peter's situation. Headaches had become a constant companion, and she often became dizzy when she stood up. When she wasn't frustrated with herself for allowing her emotions to get the best of her, she could laugh about how silly this was all going to be once Ego returned. Peter often hovered around her when they were together, and she knew she was worrying him. It's just a phase. It'll pass.

Except, it didn't. The headaches and dizziness grew worse, and her muscles seemed intent on betraying her. One day at the café, she picked up a tray of dirty dishes, only to have it go crashing to the ground seconds later. Meredith stood there amidst the shards of broken plates and cups, mortified at her own clumsiness. After that, the manager wouldn't let her carry more than a plate in each hand, further humiliating Meredith.

On the home front, she had become so weak that her father had begun to come to visit daily instead of the weekly visit he usually made. Meredith made sure to thank her father every day, because his help was invaluable to keeping Peter in line and maintaining the house.

Things took a turn for the worse when she fainted at work the following week. She woke up confined t a small bed and a flurry of activity around her. "She's awake!" cried one voice.

"Get the doctor!" cried another.

A face appeared over her, asking her how she was feeling. Meredith stared at the figure, unable to comprehend the words. "My son," she finally choked out. "Where is my son?"

The nurse told her that the hospital had alerted Peter's school, which had called her father to come get him. They were currently at the house, because visiting hours were closed. They had promised to return the first thing next morning. Meredith relaxed knowing that Peter was alright, and allowed the nurse to check her over.

"Miss Quill, I'm afraid we have some bad news." The nurse looked quite upset. That was never good. It's a nurse's job to not let her patients know how bad the news really is. Meredith leaned forward again, terrified of what she was about to learn.

"When you arrived, you were barely breathing. Your boss told the 911 operator that you've been suffering from headaches and dizziness lately, so we did a brain scan. We found a tumor, Miss Quill. A big one. That's why you've been having headaches and dizzy spells."

"Is that why I've been losing my ability to carry stuff, too?"

"Yes, that is a common symptom as well."

"When will I go in for surgery?

The nurse looked down for a moment, then looked up at Meredith. "The tumor appears to be very aggressive. We need to shrink it down first, before we can take it out. Otherwise, you may die."

Meredith paled. Die? But she was supposed to be going to Ego's planet, to be a family! She couldn't do that if she died! Frantically, she asked, "How soon can we start the shrinking process?"

"As soon as we're confident that you're stable, we can begin the chemotherapy."

"Good. I promised to take my son on a trip soon."

The chemotherapy was taking a lot from Meredith. First, she lost her hair. Then went her appetite. Next, her body fat. The chemo was taking everything from her, not just the cancer. She was tired all the time, and it hurt to do anything, including rest in bed. The chemo was so draining that he doctors refused to dismiss her from the hospital, fearing she wouldn't be able to survive on her own. Christmas, New Years, and Peter's birthday all came and went, and still the cancer remained. The doctors called it the most aggressive cancer they had ever seen. It was as if the cancer had a will of its own, and was refusing to die. The longer the fight went on, the more convinced Meredith became that she was never going to get to be with her whole family again.

She hid her sorrow from Peter, and instead reminded him that his father would be coming for him. Now eight years old, Peter was resistant to Meredith's reassurances that his father was coming to get them soon. Whenever she would start that again, Peter would put on the mix tape she had made him, forcing her to stop and sing along to appease her son. One day, she realized that he knew just as well as she did that she wasn't going to leave the hospital again. She cried all night, allowing herself to come to terms with her impending death. When she finally stopped, she found a new determination to prepare everything for Peter. She had her father bring her a cassette tape and a cassette-enabled radio so that she could record new songs, ones Peter didn't know yet.

She also made the arrangements for her father to become the legal guardian of Peter until his father arrived to take him away. By this point, she was telling anyone who would listen that Peter's father was a star traveler who would be back some day to take Peter with him to his home planet. Most of those who heard her story simply believed that it was the cancer talking, others believed that her lover had lied to her to avoid taking Peter when she died. Meredith didn't care what they believed, so long as they listened. Part of her regretted asking Ego if they could come with him, because she would have had him here with her if she hadn't. This would be best for Peter, though. He'd be going somewhere that wasn't tainted with the memories of a dying mother. Meredith was too tired to care about how depressing that thought was. She barely had the energy to finish up her final Earthly tasks.

A few days later, when Peter came to visit, she gave him the new mixed tape, telling him to open it after she died and to think of her. She could see the fear and sorrow in his eyes, and reached for him, trying to reassure him one last time. "Your grandpa is gonna take such good care of you. At least until your daddy comes back to get you... Take my hand. Peter? Take my hand."

With Peter's hand securely in hers, Meredith knew it was time. She closed her eyes, and thought a sorrowful apology to Peter and Ego for failing them. She knew Ego would be coming for Peter soon, and the thought was comforting. She sighed softly, and let go.

Author's Notes

Thank you so much for reading this story! As soon as I heard Ego talking about how he returned to see Meredith three times and gave her a tumor, I was plagued by the question of how it happened. Did Meredith know? Why was she so confident that Ego would return for Peter? If he returned multiple times, how did Peter have no recollection of who his father was? I wrote this story to answer these questions. However, like all stories involving more than one person, there is more than one perspective on how it happened. The next chapter will take a look at how it happened from Ego's perspective.