NOTE: There will probably be grammar mistakes which I will fix later.

"I hired Yondu to pick you up after your mother passed away," Ego explained to Quill as the whole group sat around a fire and ate dinner, which was some kind of blue jello in a bowl. Leo and Mikey instead ate the snacks that they packed and brought with them. "But instead of returning you, Yondu kept you. I have no clue as to why."

"Well, I'll tell you why," Quill said. "Because I was a skinny kid who could squeeze into places adult couldn't. It made it easier for thievin'."

"Well, I've been trying to track you down ever since," Ego said softly as he ate another spoonful of his meal.

"Um, Mr. Ego dude?" Mikey raised his hand. "We totally owe you for saving us and all, but how do we know for sure that you're really Quill's Dad and not some imposter?"

"Mikey!" Leo scolded him. "Don't be rude."

"No, I'm with Mikey," Quill said as he eyed Ego suspiciously. "I'm finding this hard to believe, myself."

Ego slowly nodded his head, not the least bit offended, but rather a little saddened. "That's understandable. After all, I've never been there for you up until now. I hate to admit it, but I've been a neglectful father."

"I thought Yondu was your father?" Drax said to Quill. Everyone looked at him like he was crazy.

"What? We've been together this whole time and you thought Yondu was my actual blood relative?" Quill asked him incredulously.

"You look exactly alike."

"Dude, they look nothing alike!" Mikey said, remembering the blue-skinned leader of the Ravagers who tried to take the Infinity Stone.

"One's blue!" Rocket pointed out.

But Drax just nodded and gestured to Quill with his spoon, as if to say, "See the resemblance?".

"No, he's not my father!" Quill said. "Yondu was the guy who abducted me, beat the crap out of me so I could learn to fight and kept me in terror by threatening to eat me."

"EAT you?!" Ego shouted in disbelief. "Oh, that son of a bitch!"

"How'd you locate us now?" Gamora asked him.

"Well, even where I reside, out past the edge of what's known, we've heard tell about the man they call 'Star-Lord'," he said as he looked at his son with pride before standing up. "What say we head out there right now? Your associates are welcome, even the triangle-faced monkey and grotesque lizards."

Rocket, Mikey and Leo all looked at the man shocked and offended.

"I promise you," Ego continued, "it's unlike any other place you've ever seen. And there, I can explain your very special heritage. Finally get to be the father I've always wanted to be." He then paused for a moment before saying, "Excuse me. Gotta take a whiz."

Quill watched as Ego walked toward a tree and shook his head. "I'm not buying it," he said quietly to the others.

"Let's go take a walk," Gamora said. The two then go up and walked together into the dark woods, leaving the rest at the campfire.

The girl with the antennae turned to Drax. "I am Mantis," she said as she smiled at him, although it was a very weird and forced smile, kind of like the one a dog would make right before it sneezed.

Drax looked at her confused. "What are you doing?"

"Smiling. I hear it is the thing to do to make people like you."

Drax shook his head and went back to eating. "Not if you do it like that," he told her.

Her "smile" instantly dropped. "Oh. I was raised alone on Ego's planet. I do not understand the intricacies of social interaction."

"That's okay," Mikey said to her. "Neither does our brother Donnie. I'm Mikey, by the way." He got up from his log and walked over to the young woman, extending his hand out to her.

Mantis didn't understand and looked at his hand like it was a foreign object.

"It's okay, just take my hand," Mikey instructed, which she reluctantly did, and then he gently shook her hand. "It's called a handshake. It's the first step in making friends."

A pleased, genuine smile formed on her lips as she enthusiastically returned the handshake. "Oh, I like it very much. And I like you."

Mikey beamed at her. It's always nice to make new friends.

She then glanced over at Rocket, who was licking his paws and giving himself a bath. "Can I pet your puppy?" she asked Mikey. "It is adorable."

"Huh? Oh, you think that he's..." Mikey giggled and shook his head. "He's not a puppy. And he doesn't like to be-"

"Go ahead," Drax suddenly said, a mischievous grin on his face. "He likes it."

Mikey turned to Drax and gave him a "Seriously?' look.

Mantis reached over to pet Rocket, but the second her fingers touched his fur, the raccoon snapped at her with a growl. Mantis screamed and retracted her hand in time, while Mikey winced at the clicking sound Rocket's teeth made.

Drax threw his head back and laughed hysterically. "That is called a practical joke!" he told the confused Mantis, who started to laugh herself.

Mikey looked at Drax unamused and sat back down next to Leo. "No, dude, that's a cruel prank," he grumbled.

Leo looked up at Nebula, who sat directly across from him. She hadn't said a word since Ego's arrival and just stared down at her feet for hours. He grabbed a bag of chips and walked over to her, and when she lifted her head up to him, he smiled and offered the bag to her. "Lays?"

Nebula just gave glared at him.

The Turtle sighed and sat down next to her. "I know you don't trust me, Nebula, but I don't mean you any harm," he told her softly.

"Why do you keep bothering me?" Nebula finally said.

"Well, I don't think it's right, the way Gamora is treating you."

"I do," Drax said, staring at the both of them.

Leo frowned at the tattooed man. "I'm sorry, could you just...? Could you give us a minute alone?"

Drax merely shrugged and went back to eating his meal.

"I mean, you're sisters," Leo continued. "But you hate each other to the core."

"We were sisters once, but not anymore," Nebula whispered with some hurt in her voice.

"That's not true, Nebula," Leo told her. "You'll always be sisters. And there's nothing more important in the universe than family."

Nebula swiftly turned to him with a snarl on her face. "You don't even know what she put me through," she hissed. "Too much has happened between us for any reconciliation."

"Well, have you ever tried talking to her?" Leo sugggested.

"There is no talking to Gamora, so why don't you keep your nose out of our business?"

"But, Nebula-"

"Whoo!" Ego zipped up his pants as he rejoined the others. "Ah. Sorry. It was a long trip."

"Yeah, it must've been," Mikey said as handed another potato chip to Groot. "You peed for, like, ten minutes, dude."

A few minutes later, Quill and Gamora returned to the camp. The former looked at Ego and said, "I'm coming with you."

"Great!" Ego laughed as he clapped his hands once. "I have so much to show you when we get there! It is a long journey so I suggest you all get some sleep, and we can leave in the morning." He touched Quill on the shoulder and gave him an affectionate squeeze. "I'm very glad you've decided to give me a chance, Peter, even though it's more than I deserve."

He and Mantis then headed back to their ship while everyone else got out their sleeping bags, except for Nebula, who would instead sleep on a log with Gamora closely watching her.

"Man, this adventure keeps getting better and better!" Mikey said excitedly to Rocket as he rolled his sleeping back open. "First we fight a giant monster, then we meet Quill's Dad, and now we're going to another planet!"

Leo overheard his brother and stopped straightening his bag. "What? Whoever said you and I were going?"

Mikey turned to his brother. "Huh? Of course we're going!"

"No, Mikey," Leo shook his head. "I think it'd be best if you and I stayed here on Berhert."

"What?! No way, Leo! I'm going with Quill!"

"No, you're-!" He took a deep breath and rubbed his temples. "Let's go talk about this somewhere else." He gestured for Mikey to follow as he walked into the woods.

The younger Turtle huffed as he got up and followed his leader. Rocket and Groot watched him leave and then looked at each other concerned.

"I Am Groot," Groot squeaked.

Rocket nodded. "You read my mind."

...

"Do you always have to suck the fun out of everything?!" Mikey angrily asked Leo as they went deeper into the woods. "Come on, bro! I haven't seen these guys in a long time! Plus, with the Sovereign after us, we'd be a whole lot safer with Ego than staying here!"

Leo stopped walking and turned to face his brother. "Mikey, we don't know much about this Ego. He could very well be an imposter just like you said."

Mikey nodded, seeing his point. "Maybe, or he could really be Quill's Dad and he just wants to have a relationship with his son. And he saved us from being blown to bits, so he can't be all that bad."

"I still can't risk it, Mikey," Leo said as he shook his head. "We'd be better off here."

Mikey threw his head back and groaned loudly. "Uugh! I should never have invited you to come with me! What is your deal?!"

"My deal? In case you've forgotten, I am the leader and head of this family!" Leo said as he pointed to himself and then to Mikey. "And it's my job to protect you, Donnie, and Raph!"

"Protect us? You're always on our asses!"

Leo's eyes went big when he heard his innocent little brother cuss. Again. "MIKEY! Language!"

"I'll say whatever I want to say! And you know why? 'Cause I'm not a little kid anymore!"

Leo sighed and softened his tone since yelling wouldn't solve anything. "Mikey, stop being so stubborn and try to look at this through my perspective."

"Oh, I can see through your perspective perfectly, Leo," Mikey said in a lower but still angry voice. "And in your eyes, I'm still that helpless little Mikey who'd rather hide in his world of imagination than face reality. Well, guess what? I've changed a lot since Splinter died. I'm just as mature and independent as you are, and I don't need you protecting me all the time."

"Mikey, wait-"

"And after we fix the ship, you can go back home, but I'm staying with the Guardians."

Leo felt like the world around him stopped spinning at Mikey's words. "...What?" he whispered.

"You heard me," Mikey said as he crossed his arms. "I'm staying with Quill and the others."

Leo shook his head in denial. "No, Mikey, you...you don't mean that. You're just being emotional right now and-"

"You really think I want to go back, Leo? At least the Guardians appreciate me and treat me with respect, and I know for a fact that they all love me."

"Wh-What are you saying? You don't think we love you? Of course we do! We'd do anything for you, Mikey!"

Mikey's expression softened. "I know you guys would. But maybe it's for the best. You remember what Sensei said, right? That nothing lasts forever, not even family. We were gonna go our separate ways sooner or later."

Leo could feel his eyes burn with oncoming tears. "We don't have to," he said in a slightly cracked voice.

Mikey sighed and shook his head. "Maybe you should grow up and face reality, Leo."

"Um..." They both turned and saw Rocket stepping out from behind a tree with Groot on his shoulder. "Hey," he waved at them and cleared his throat. "I, uh, know it ain't none of my business, but...sounds like you two need a break from each other."

Mikey glanced back at Leo and slowly nodded. "Yeah, I guess so," he mumbled.

Leo just bit his lower lip and cast his eyes down.

"So why don't we do this?" Rocket stood in between the two brothers. "How 'bout Mikey stay here with me and Groot, and you go with Quill to Ego's planet? I need someone to help keep Groot away from my expensive and breakable stuff, anyway."

"Yeah, fine," Mikey huffed, still wanting to go to Ego's planet, too. "Whatever."

"Sure," Leo said softly, blinking away his tears.

"You're leaving me with that fox?!" Nebula shouted to Gamora as the latter prepared for the trip to Ego's planet.

"He's not a fox," Gamora corrected her, then she turned to Rocket, who was repairing the ship. "Shoot her if she does anything suspicious. Or if you feel like it."

"Okay," Rocket mumbled, focusing on his work.

Groot sat on a piece of the ship and sadly watched as the others packed up their things. Gamora knelt down and smiled lovingly at the little tree creature. "Hey, it'll be just a couple of days," she whispered as she gently rubbed her finger over his cheek. "We'll be back before Rocket's finished fixing the ship." She then nodded to where Mikey sat. "And you'll have Mikey to play with."

She then walked over to the young Turtle and affectionally rubbed the dome of his bald head. "I'm sorry that all of this happened, Mikey," she said softly. "We'll make it up to you, I promise."

Mikey smiled up at her. "It's okay, Gamora. Just come back soon, okay?"

Gamora smiled back and nodded before she stepped out of the wrecked Milano. Groot waved goodbye at her with a very sad face.

Drax, Leo, and Quill all had backpacks on, and Drax carried even more bags in his hands. "What if the Sovereign come?" he asked Quill as he stepped out of the ship.

"There's no way for them to know we're here," Quill assured him. "Let's go."

"I'm uncertain about parting ways."

"God, you're like an old woman."

"Because I'm wise?"

Gamora noticed all of the bags that Drax was taking with him. "Why do you have so much luggage?"

"I don't want Groot playing with my things," Drax gruffly said.

Leo stopped for a moment to speak to Mikey, who refused to look up at him. "So, uh...I'll see you in a few days," he said awkwardly. "Have fun and...and be safe, okay?"

"Hmm," Mikey grunted and nodded, still looking down at the floor.

Mikey's cold behavior toward him hurt his already broken heart, but he smiled sadly at his youngest brother and patted him on the shoulder before he joined Drax and Gamora.

Quill was the last to leave, and he was about to apologize to Rocket for what happened the day before.

But then the raccoon said to him, "Hope Daddy isn't as big of a dick as you, orphan boy."

The human didn't think it was possible for his furry friend to be even more of an a-hole than he already was. But boy, was he wrong. "What is your goal here? To get everybody to hate you? 'Cause it's working." And with that, Quill walked out of the Milano and toward his father's ship with Gamora, Drax, and Leo.

Rocket watched them leave for a moment before resuming his work with an annoyed expression. When Mikey finally looked up, Leo was already stepping into Ego's ship with the others, and before he could even shout goodbye to his brother, the orange glass closed up and the oval-shaped spacecraft began to ascend.

Without thinking, Mikey jumped up from his seat and ran toward the ship, which was already twenty feet off the ground. He stopped running when he realized that it was pointless to chase after them and sadly watched as the ship went higher and higher until it finally vanished.

"Bye, Leo," he said in a quiet, choked up voice.