A/N: Hello! I'm so sorry I haven't updated in a while, please forgive me! Thanks to you all who've stood by me and this story this far. Knowing me, and my lack of frequent updates, it must of been hard! Basically what I'm trying to say is, thank you.

Dear: Ellie, I'm glad you think so, who needs valentines cards anyway? Sapphire Roz, Yeah, poor Pete, I've been evil to him haven't I? I'm glad you loved it and sorry for not updating sooner. Guest, Aww, you're making me blush. Guest, Good question and thanks for the review

So, sadly this story is grinding slowly towards the finishing line... Including this chapter I think there will be about four or five chapters depending on whether I want to spilt them in half or not. Also I write chapters as I go, I haven't written all of the chapters yet but probably four of five to go.

Can I ask a favour please, go check out Sapphire Roz's drawing of Jasmine and Peter on her DeviantArt account, it's awesome so please have a look!

~I've been Jotunheim Storm~

Thanks xoxo

Unexpected

I sat in the escape pod, grasping the Quad Blaster tightly. In case of an emergency, that's all Peter told me. In my other free hand I rubbed the cool silver of my moon pendant under my fingertips, as if this act could calm me.

Yesterday could have gone a whole lot better. I didn't intentionally mean to upset Peter. I had made my decision though, I had to go back home. I had to marry Sam. I tried desperately not to get caught up in Peter's games. I spent most of the time resisting his quips, chat up lines and dreamy green eyes. It was true I enjoyed making a fool out of him, it was pretty easy though. I definitely did not want to end up falling for him.

But alas, it was so.

It was pretty hard not to be enchanted by him though. His quick wit, charm and upbeat personality were attractive qualities to say the least. I could say for definite I wasn't going to be the last woman to be enticed by Peter Quill, legendary outlaw. I'd made a choice though.

I chose Sam.

I chose Earth, I chose my normal life. I'd given up on every possible adventure to be had in space. I turned down a life with some of the most exciting people in the galaxy, for my life on Earth. For my fiancé Sam Chadwick.

I would go on to marry him, living a long normal life together. Most likely having children who would one day inherit my company. Grow old and consequently die. I would spend my whole life denying this experience ever even happened. No one could know.

I placed my hand on the cool glass of the escape pod I sat in. My eyes scanned the area before me. The three suns of Xandar shone brightly in the vibrant blue of the morning sky. My breath condensed against thee glass, leaving a patch of fog in the way of my view. I saw the Nova headquarters in the middle of Xandar. The yellow star glistened in the sunlight. Within moments the Guardians would attack the Collector, bringing my family back to me and I would leave this place forever. Who thought I would actually be sad about leaving Peter Jerk Face Quill?

(Peter's POV)

I holstered my Quad Blasters, pushed my hair out of my face and rested my headphones around my neck. I made sure my Walkman was tightly connected to my pant leg. Rolling my shoulders back I readied myself for battle. Rocket stood a few yards away from me holding some strange dagger with a glowing yellow gem in the handle.

"What's that?" I asked.

Rocket twiddled the blade in his fingertips, throwing it up and catching it again. He lifted the blade up to my eye line so I could get a proper look. The blade seemed to be made of stainless steel. Engraved into the metal was various symbols and letters. It translated to; Soul Snatcher.

"Soul Snatcher?" I questioned.

The raccoon nodded placing the dagger on the table, searching through a box of various other weapons Rocket had made over the time of living in the Milano.

"The yellow gem was a gift from a lovely, quite handsy, Askervarian named Eupraxia. This stone has the power on contact to suck the soul from any living creature. It will kill who it hits and destroy anything within a ten mile radius," Rocket explained.

I gulped, glancing to the dagger sitting on the table of my Milano. I suddenly didn't feel so safe having that aboard my ship. Gamora walked past me, wearing the red Ravangers outfit. In her scabbard she had a sword and in her holster a gun. Her black hair that faded into pink fell to her shoulders curling at the end. Gamora ran her long fingers through her hair, shooting me a quick smile before turning to Rocket who was handing her several weapons. Drax wore his blue Nova Corps trousers, both his knifes in his scabbards. The intricate detail shone in the dim light coming from the lamp. Domitia wore a pair of black trousers and a black vest top to compliment. Over the vest top she wore body armour. The only weapon she carried was a thin flexible metal whip. Her blue hand was coiled around the handle. Her long black hair was braided into a long plait.

Domitia turned to look at me, her hand clutching the whip she held. Her soft brown eyes were filled with a mixture of excitement and worry.

"Where is Jasmine?" she asked.

An unscheduled silence fell over us. My eyes dared not to meet Domitia's. My gaze cast over her head. I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly, not wanting to relive what happened yesterday. The only person in the room that knew what happened was Rocket. He had heard the whole thing. Shortly after our conversation Rocket told me it was her loss. For a brief moment I was satisfied with his response. A very brief moment. I really didn't want to be having this conversation with Domitia. I didn't want to have this conversation with anyone.

"Well, she… Urm… Basically," I stuttered.

"Quill and her broke up," Rocket interrupted.

I could feel the tension only rise in the room. Groot smiled sadly at me. Gamora's gaze was down cast, her eyes not meeting mine. Drax simply looked at me, judgement did not cloud his stare.

"We're returning her to Terra with her dad and fiancé," I told them.

I felt a hand rest upon my shoulder, and turned to see Domitia. Her eyes filled with pity. A pity I did not desire to see. I didn't want her pity but in my current state I understood why I was receiving it.

I had let Jasmine in, trusted her. Given her my honest and true affections. Stupidly I'd fallen in love with her. She just seemed right, this time it seemed like love. But I was wrong. I was foolish, blind like a love sick teenager. I hated the fact I only opened my eyes when I started to fall, and I haven't stopped falling yet.

(The Collector's POV)

He ran his long pale fingers across the array of weapons that sat before him. A long sword, a curved blade, a dagger and a pen knife to name a few. Then there were more alien contraptions, pulsar rays, intoxicate bombs and a UV cages. Some of the other weapons included bow and arrows, whips and guns. Loads and loads of guns.

The Collector picked up a selection of bombs of ink, smoke and fire placing them in his pockets. He turned to look at his assistant Denicia who now wore an orange jumpsuit. She scraped her frizzy hair into a tight pony tail. In her long slender fingers she held a double blade.

"When do we attack Tivan?" Heeax questioned.

Taneleer raised a finger to his lips indicating Heeax to silence himself. The Xruolord huffed at Taneleer's gesture. Ena began filling her quiver with an assortment of arrows. Normal arrows, exploding ones and net ones. The war was coming. A sly grin tugged at the thin lips of the Collector. He raised his arms up looking at the warriors before him.

"Today, on the verge of a new beginning we remember those who have fallen so we may survive. The Queen of Usslade, Via, was one of the brave many who gave their life for our cause. On the brink of rewriting our destiny, remember who brought you this far. Me. Taneleer Tivan, the Collector. Now, friends, let us bask in our evitable glory!" he cheered.

The crowd of warriors cheered and applauded Taneleer. The Collector basked in his own glory, soaking up the love from the crowd. In the crowd his saw a roll of the eyes from Denicia, she still opposed his desire to conquer Xandar. Taneleer decided shortly after the battle is won he would dispose of the pointless waste of space. When the Shi'ar Earl, Jishee came for him, Taneleer would innocently claim it was an accident in the battle. For now the girl would live. She better count her lucky stars or show complete and utter allegiance.

"To Taneleer, the reason Xandar will fall!" Heeax yelled.

The cheers only increased the crowd filling Taneleer's cold heart with a feeling of complete and utter satisfaction. Taneleer simply bowed at the reception from his adoring crowd. The war was coming, prepare yourself Xandarians, your end is nigh.

(Peter's POV)

I put the ear piece inside my ear, tapping it twice making sure the connection was sound.

"Testing, testing, Gamora do you copy me?" I said.

After a short moment of silence the ear piece made a shriek, piercing my ear drum.

"Quill, I copy you… We are standing right next to each other," Gamora replied.

I turned to look at her, she rolled her eyes, scoffing at me. I grinned in response.

"Drax, come in," I called.

Again the ear piece, which I suspected to be faulty, made an ear wrecking shriek.

"Quill, it is I, Drax. How shall I come in?" he responded.

I heard a universal groan from the rest of my teammates. I forgot Drax often couldn't grasp concepts such as metaphors and sayings. I rubbed the back of my neck, pondering whether I could be bothered to explain what I meant. In the end I decided against it, I really didn't have the time nor the patience to try with Drax.

"Rocket, dude, you there?" I questioned.

"I can hear you loud and clear turd blossom," his reply just as flippant as ever.

Last of all I had to make sure my communication was working with Groot. I already anticipated my friend's response.

"Groot, can you hear me?" I asked.

"I am Groot," he answered.

I sighed, chuckling to myself at the predictability of Groot's conversation. Domitia had refused my offer of a ear piece, she assured me she wouldn't need one. She promised she would do as Rocket asked, when he asked. Despite the fact I knew I was stupid not giving her one, I really didn't want to argue with her, while she still held that whip.

I checked the holstering of my guns, and the safety of my Walkman. I decided I would listen to some mission music. Because that all this was; a mission. Not complexity, no doubts and no worries.

(Jasmine's POV)

I sighed, my breath deep and sad. I regretted leaving the guardians, I regretted turning away and I regretted breaking up with Peter. There was a hole in my heart, a place he used to be. I missed his laughter, his cheeky grins and the soft kisses that brushed against my skin.

An ear piercing roar ran through Xandar. I clutched onto my seat as the escape pod rattled due to the boom. I pressed my hands to the glass peering out cautiously. A blinding light flashed in the mid-afternoon sky. The cloud of fire rose into the sky. As the explosion grew it looked as if the doors of hell opened, letting out the flames of fury. Screams filled my ears and the air. The burning embers of red, amber and yellow fell from the sky like crackling fireworks from bonfire nights gone by. A cloud of ash settled in the once blue sky. Smoke began to creep through the gap in the door. I tried to scream but my throat was filled with the smoke, clogging up my lungs.

I pushed open the door to the escape pod, breathing in the fresh air allowing my lungs to regain composure. I grabbed the gun from the seat of the pod and I ran into the mists of the city. My vision was clouded by the fog of ash and dust but I ran forward anyway. The ache of my legs, the burning of my lungs and the voice in the back of my head told me to stop. I didn't.

I wouldn't.

I held the gun tightly, going to aid my friends.

The roar of oncoming explosion, rattled the frame of the Milano. I stumbled back at the shudders running through my skeleton. Rocket squinted out the window, looking for the source of the unexpected eruption. The frazzles of light fell from the sky and the ash clouded my view of our surroundings.

"It's coming from outside that shack the Collector owns," Rocket growled.

I silently cursed the Collector, why'd he have to be a prick all of the time. Didn't they guy take a day off. Does he really has to piss us off twenty four seven?

I rolled out a crumpled old map of the old warehouse Taneleer now possessed. It was a shaky ancient building that pre dated all other buildings in the planet. The paper was stained by age, and crumpled by time. There were three entrances, the main door that lead to the heart of the shack. The back door, most likely an exit in case of an emergency. There was also a skylight at the top of the building. If the glass was broken this could be used as an exit or entrance.

I pointed to the skylight at the top of the building. As the building predated anything else in Xandar it was likely the glass had not been upgraded to bullet proof glass.

"We'll enter the building through here, not only will it give us the element of surprise it will allow us to attack them before they have the chance to react," I suggested.

"Gamora, Drax and I will come through the skylight. Rocket, Groot and Domitia will stay on the Milano, make sure to look out for any oncoming danger and alert us immediately at the sign of any threats. We cannot endangered the lives of the people we are rescuing, understood?" I explained.

The faces of my teammates showed a grave expression and a clear understanding of what was at stake. Jasmine's father and fiancé were but mere humans not capable of withstanding the force of war. I made a promise to Jasmine I would protect them. I couldn't let her down, I cared too much to ever hurt her. I hated the fact even thinking of her made my heart bleed out, craving for her touch again. I knew she didn't want me anymore but I couldn't help but need her.

"Oi, Quill! Get out your fantasy land and start listening moron," Rocket's harsh comment brought me back to reality.

I blinked as my vision came back to me. My eyes met with Rocket's brown animal eyes. His lips were upturned into a snarl.

"Are you sure you are capable of fighting today, friend? You seem to be zoning out. Are you unwell Quill?" Drax asked me, his expression consumed by a look of concern.

I felt the eyes of the all the Guardians and Domitia look at me. As if by looking at me they could tell whether or not I was well enough to fight a battle. I rolled my eyes, laughing them off. I had no intentions of telling them my real reason for zoning out. I really didn't want the rest of the team thinking I was a lovesick teenager.

Which I am not.

I took seat in the pilot chair and began flying the Milano to the warehouse with making any eye contact with the rest of the team, in fear of further scrutiny. My foot pressed down on the accelerator, the Milano speeding up, I felt the pace of the engine running through me. I pulled the headphones over my ears, pressing play on my Walkman.

I hear your name whispered on the wind

It's a sound that makes me cry

I hear a song blow again and again

Through my mind and I don't know why

I wish I didn't feel so strong about you

Like happiness and love revolve around you

Trying to catch your heart

Is like trying to catch a star

So many people love you, baby

That must be what you are

Waiting for a star to fall

And carry your heart into my arms

That's where you belong

In my arms baby, yeah

I hovered over the outside of the warehouse. The building was made of a yellow tinplate and the roof was most likely made of lead and other sundry metal found in the scrap heap of Xandar that was west to the small slums on the edge of the city. I opened the door, standing on the edge looking down into the skylight. I took my Quad Blaster from my holster and shot three blasts through the glass. The glass crumbled from the contact of pulse of energy. The shards of glass fell in sync, the sharp fragments crashed against the marble floor.

"Alright, ladies first," I joked.

Gamora shot me an icy glare, before stepping to the edge of the platform. She inhaled deeply before jumping out of the jet. I watched her gracefully fall towards the warehouse. There was no sign of fear in her eyes. I admired the sheer bravery of that woman. I had I hunch she could walk through the flames of the apocalypse and not be startled. Drax lined himself up for the jump, falling faster than Gamora and not as gracefully. Drax did weigh a lot more than Gamora and the fact he was not about style but his focus lied on substance. I exhaled deeply, feeling a rush of air brush against my face. I looked back to Rocket, Groot and Domitia.

"Jump already," Rocket moaned.

"You'll be fine, do not worry," Domitia reassured me.

I nodded, turning on my jet boots. I threw myself off the edge of the platform, feeling the gusts of air pushing against me and gravity pulling me towards the centre of Xandar. The fire from my boots ignited and the falling sensation grinded to a halt. I slowly lowered myself to the marble floor of Taneleer's warehouse. I pulled my gun from my holster putting it up pointing it at Taneleer.

"Hands up bitches, this is a raid!" I screamed.

I heard mutters of disapproval from my peers. I turned to see Gamora shaking her head with embarrassment. I shrugged off her reaction and turned back to face the Collector. His eyes were an icy blue, piercing their way into my soul.

"Hand over Mr Turner, the boy and no one gets hurt," Drax commanded.

Taneleer's lips upturned into a smile. Not a smile that reached his frozen blue eyes. A laughter of insincerity escaped from this thin lips. The rest of his gang laughed in time with their leader. I met eyes with Heeax. I hissed at him, dirty old creep. His purple insect eyes made my skin crawl and I just remembered how awful he was to Jasmine. He was going to be the first person I run through.

"You thought it was that easy? How foolish, Heeax, kill them all," Taneleer barked his commands at his minions.

Heeax charged at me like a crazed bull, I slid out of the way before he could make contact with me. I definitely didn't want to have to deal with that monster. Drax grabbed Heeax by the waist, lifting him above his head, throwing him to the floor. Gamora pushed a table on top of Heeax before kicking him repeatedly in the side. A shrill scream of agony escaped the green slimy lips of the beast. I smirked at the sorry sight before me.

"Father!" screamed a young woman.

This woman wore a grey cat suit and had a material quiver slung around her shoulder. She bolted forward to aid her father. She kicked the table off of him, kneeling before his body. She slowly rose, a growl of a beast emanating from her lips. She ran at me, giving me little time to react. She pushed me with all of her might up against the wall. She dug her knee into my chest holding me in place. I coughed and spluttered struggling for breath. She took a knife from her quiver and her eyes glinted with a malicious intent.

Gamora swung at the woman, lurching with power. Gamora threw her to the floor, spitting at her as she did. The woman wiped the spit from her face, dragging herself from the floor. She punched Gamora in the gut, and she groaned. Gamora grabbed hold of the other woman's arm, bending it backwards. A viscous snap filled the room and an ear wrecking scream fell from the lips of Heeax's daughter. Her left arm flopped to the side, she was no longer able to hold it up. One tear fell from her eyes.

"Attack!" shrieked Taneleer.

A swarm of aliens charged at us, with an evil intent sparkling in their eyes. I shot at several of the aliens running at me. One was electrocuted, the pulse running through them left them shaking violently on the floor. Another one was shot through the heart, a hole in their torso now evident. One man that was more muscle that man wrapped me in a bear hug that threatened to break my spine. I struggled against the mountain of the man who supressed my movement. I cried out as he only held onto my tighter. I wriggled my legs around, trying to kick him in the family jewels. I got ready to aim and managed to kick him, hard, right in the target. The hold on me whitened and the man groaned out in discomfort. I shot the guy in the knee, good and properly kneecapping him. Yondu would be proud I mused.

I saw Jasmine's dad and her fiancé sitting, huddled in the corner of the room. I ran over to them, shooting at the chains. I put my hand out for Mr Turner to take. I pulled the old man to his feet, letting him lean against me. He was frail and weak, weighing no more than Rocket at most. I felt I lump form in my throat, the feeble and fragile exterior of the man reminded me so much of my mother in her last few weeks. I guessed he had little more than a month left in him. I looped my arm underneath him and Sam did the same on the other side of him. I attempted to run with both of them, going to set them free but I was stopped by Tivan.

"It's not that easy Star Lord," he snarled.

I let go of Mr Turner and dove at Taneleer, grabbing him by the neck. I slammed his head against the cold brick wall. He moaned out in distress, causing me to slam him against the wall three more times. A trickle of blood fell down the head of Tivan and I smirked. I smirked at his pain, I didn't give a damn.

Suddenly there was a bright light enveloping me in a boiling warmth. I forced my eyes open to see bars of light trapping me in some sort of a cage. I reached out to touch the beams of light but took my hand back as soon as touching it. It singed my skin, it seemed to some sort of a UV cage, ones you would trap vampires in. I looked up to meet the icy eyes of Heeax's daughter. Her arm hung limply at her side, her lips upturned into a cruel smile.

Shit.