NOW

Peter Quill ran an anxious hand through his hair. "That's not Clara Williams. That can't be," he said in disbelief. But to hell with what he could believe, it said Clara Everly Williams in the screen. That was his Clara. His eyes shone with worry as he met Rocket's.

"It don't lie, man. Who is she?" the Raccoon asked, with a curious tone.

"I-" Peter didn't even know where to start, especially with his current girlfriend, Gamora, was staring at him intently. He met her eyes, before breaking away. "She's an ex, I guess. But she- she was a good friend too." He chose his words carefully, not wanting to piss off Gamora. Clara was so much more than a girlfriend though. For a short time in his life, she'd been a best friend, a partner in crime, and family. But Clara was a wild thing and when she got bored, she ran off. Or when she got scared... leaving him one morning to an empty bed.

He'd been in love with her and she left him. Clara was the sole reason he was the player he was today. Peter wanted another her, but never found one, and through girls he went. Then he met Gamora. He pressed two fingers to his forehead. Gamora had been different. Gamora almost made him forget.

"I know who you were, Peter. I've accepted that," Gamora replied, quietly.

He couldn't even look at her, but let her think Clara was just some night he didn't even remember. He remembered all the nights- the nights where they made love till the morning, the nights they just laid by each other, shoulders touching, just talking anything and everything, and the nights he held her in his arms as she breathed softly, trying to get to know the girl sleep made her become.

He sighed loudly, thinking of the tiny girl laying in his bunk a room over. It didn't match up with the one he knew: her hair was long and was a mess of dark curls down her back, her bright blue eyes were always so alive, and her skin framed her body perfectly; soft where it was needed and firm right where it belonged. The girl laying in his bunk was hair cut jaggedly around her chin, eyes so exhausted they couldn't even open, and all bones, just bones. When was the last time Clara even ate?

"We need to take her to the nearest hospital. Now," Peter commanded. This wasn't something he could patch up with some neosporin and a baid-aid. There was going to be no more chancing losing Clara. Clara was so fragile now and she needed help. And it scared Peter to death.

"Are you sure about that? That would be the first place they- whoever they even are- would look!" Rocket asked, typing it in the navigator.

Peter waited for it to load and found it was his old home. That's the next stop.

"They might arrest us on sight... we haven't been the best of kids," Rocket added.

He didn't care. He wasn't going to lose her again. Peter shook his head. "No, next stop: home," he said firmly and walked out, still not daring to look at his girlfriend.


"SHE JUST LAYS THERE. HAS BARELY MOVED," Drax announced- because let's face it, just about everything he says is an announcement, when Peter walked to the sleeping corriders.

"Has she woke up at all?" Peter asked.

"NO. IT'S AN AMAZEMENT SHE HAS SURVIVED THIS LONG. SHE PROBABLY WON'T MUCH LONGER," Drax answered.

"Aren't you a ray of sunshine," he muttered, sarcastically.

"NO, PETER, ACTUALLY I AM NOT-" Drax started, but Peter just tuned him out. He went over to her still body and watched as her chest rose with every shallow breath.

"Who is she, Peter?" Drax asked him, in a much quieter voice.

"A real old friend, buddy," Peter answered and touched her cheek. "Clara?" he whispered and breathed out in a whoof, "It's me, Peter. I don't know if you can hear me or not, but I'm here. Just like I promised," he spoke kind of fast and it mixed in together a bit. He added, "Of course apparently I wasn't there when you truly needed me," he rolled his eyes, adding a note of sarcasm again, unable to not turn it into a joke. Always at the wrong time. But Clara would have rolled with it and had replied with an equally cunning response, probably to the air of "better late than never", unless she was in a bad mood. You never knew with her. Sometimes they could super witty or just be a cold "fuck off." You just never knew.


these chapters are really short and it feels really weird to have such short chapters but I feel like it goes with the theme of the story. it enable me to update faster and write more fully, I feel. it's suppose to be more of an emotional piece in the point of view of either Peter or Clara, and soon there will be 'BEFORE' segments. some will be longer and some will be shorter. if I'm making any sense? maybe I should just shut up lol small chapters aside, I hope you like them! let me know. thanks littleheartache for the review!