Using his arrow, it was easy to carry the others out of the tower (including the girl that the young man failed to mention before), Yondu braced himself for what was going to be the longest trip of his lifetime.

As the young man, Peter, took one step onto the grass and practically collapsed on top of it. "Oh god, it's just like I remember it!" He cackled in delight, "Ego is going to be so PISSED!"

"Ego?!" Yondu felt a cold shiver run down his spine, "Ego's the one keeping you here?!"

"Y-Yes?"

Yondu groaned, "Shit… shit… shit!"

"Is… that a bad thing?"

"It would have been nice to know beforehand!" If Yondu had hair, he would be tearing it out.

"Captain." Kraglin cautiously moved closer, "We need to get away from here."

"Yeah… yeah, come on brats!"

"Can we get something to eat?"

"Fine!"

…..

Ego stared at the crashed spaceship in horror.

"Peter!"

He rushed to the tower as quickly as he could.

"PETER! PETER!"

Nothing.

Panicking, Ego blinked, reappearing in the main area of the tower, hoping that his son was simply hiding from him.

He searched every inch of the tower only to realise the truth.

Peter was gone.

….

"Stop lagging behind!" Yondu snapped, as they headed out of the wilderness, "First we find food, and then we find a ship."

With Peter and Mantis chattering on behind them, Kraglin seized his opportunity.

"Ego is going to come after us." He whispered, "No matter where we go."

"I know."

"… Do you really think we can keep Peter safe?"

"We just hafta get him to his Mother… I don' give a shit after that."

Kraglin rolled his eyes in obvious disbelief but chose not to press matters as they came upon a small bar located at the edge of the woods.

It was mostly empty, so no-one paid much attention to them as they ordered food and took their seats.

Needless to say, it was an awkward silence.

"So…" Kraglin cleared his throat, "… do you… have any hobbies Peter?"

"For fuck's sake!" Yondu hissed, "He was locked up in a tower for over ten years, how can he have any- "

"- I like music." Peter interrupted gently, "My mum made me a tape with all her favourite music to listen to."

Oh, that was sad.

Before Yondu could say that out loud though, the door flung open, to reveal several armed guards.

"Shit." Yondu cursed, "We need to get out of here!"

In unison, he and Kraglin grabbed Peter and Mantis, dragging them towards the back exit, the door still swinging on its hinges as the guards searched the area.

…

"So…" Pete gasped as he and Mantis were dragged out of the bar, the sound of armoured guards clanking as they were chased behind them, "…I know we're meant to be running for our lives right now, but who were they? What did you do?"

Yondu was silent until they reached the edge of a cliff…. Then he started to curse ferociously, using words that made Mantis flush bright red.

"Why are there so many of them?!"

"They don' like us! Okay brat?!" Yondu turned to Kraglin, "Grappling hook, now!"

Kraglin quickly obeyed, looping the hook around a solid tree branch that was hanging over the ravine. They all clung together as they leapt over the edge, swinging to safety down to the ravine. Spotting an exit, Yondu led them in that direction.

Unfortunately, there was a dame.

A dam that wasn't in the best of states as it was.

With a thundering crash, the dam broke and water started to flood the ravine. Due to the force of the water, several large rocks also broke free.

"Come on! Come on!" Yondu yelled as they raced towards the exit, hoping that they would reach it before it was too late.

"We're running as fast as we can!"

Putting on one last burst of speed, they made it into the hole just as the large rocks blocked the entrance, and the water flooded the ravine, slowly filling the hole that they were in.

And the exit had been blocked up long before they made their way inside.

Again, curses were screamed.

Yondu slammed his palms against the rocks that were blocking their way, only to hiss in pain when a particularly sharp one sliced his palm.

"Shit!" He hissed, "No way out."

Kraglin took a deep breath and dived under the rising water, quickly resurfacing and shaking his head, "It's pitch black down there Captain!"

The water level continued to rise.

"I ain't going out like this!"

And then Peter remembered something very important.

His hands could glow.

The water was still rising.

Taking a deep breath, Peter started to sing, "Flower gleam and glow, make your power shine! Make- "

The water rose above his head and he quickly sung the rest of the song in his head. As they were under water, his hands started to glow a brilliant white, filling the small cavern with light… which meant that he could see the water escaping through a tiny hole in the rocky wall.

Yondu and Kraglin spotted it as well, both swimming down and pulling the rocks away to try and make an exit. Knowing that time was running out, they used all their strength to remove the largest rock, hoping that it would make the escape hole large enough. With one final push, they were washed out into the river on the other side.

When they managed to pull themselves up onto the nearest back, Peter laughed in glee, "We made it!" He whooped, as Mantis giggled in relief beside him.

"His hands glow…" Yindu whispered as Peter got to his feet.

"We're alive!"

"… Did ya see that Krags? Why were his hands glowing?"

"Oh, they don't just glow." Peter glanced back and smirked at them.

….

As the night fell and a campfire was built, Peter gently pulled Yondu hands into his own, covering the hand wound with a palm.

"So…" Kraglin hovered nervously nearby, "… what are ye doing again?"

"Just watch and- and try not to freak out."

"Kid, it takes a lot to freak us out."

"Good…" Peter took a deep breath and started to sing, "Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine. Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine. Heal what has been hurt, change the fate's design. Save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine… what once was mine."

As Peter pulled his hands away, Yondu glanced down at his palm, eyes widening when he saw that the wound was gone.

Nothing.

It was like it never existed.

"Please don't freak out!" Peter pleaded.

"We're not freaking out!" Kraglin squeaked, clearly panicking, "Why would we be freaking out about your healing powers and glowing hands?!"

"…. I'm not freaking out, why would I be freaking out, I'm just interested in your magical hair that can heal people, how long has it been doing that?!"

Peter shrugged, "Forever I guess…" He looked down at his hands, "… I think that's why my Dad wanted me with him."

"… Why he kidnapped you."

"Right!"

"Great… so he's unlikely to just let you go, huh?"

At the look on Peter's face, Yondu groaned. "Great… just great." He turned to Kraglin, "We should patrol the area, make sure no-one's sneaking up on us."

"Thank you!" Peter called out to them as they left, earning himself a scoff as they disappeared into the shadows.

"Well… I thought they'd never leave."