A/N: Hey, sorry for the late upload. I've been super busy this summer.

Chapter 9- A Ravager Funeral

Eventually the other picked them up. Peter was quiet the entire time, not even talking to say that Yandu was dead. Some time passed and they began to prepare his body for a funeral.

Rocket lit the candles while Peter and Gamora put some of Yandu's treasures next to him on the table. They finished by covering his eyes with a piece of cloth.

Peter stood at Yandu's head. Gamora stood to his left, Mantis to the left of her, Kraglin stood at the end of the table. Rocket stood at Kraglin's left and Drax stood next to him. Baby Groot stood next to Rocket. Valkyrie stood to the right, but a bit behind Peter. Nebula stood back in the corner, arms crossed, watching this take place.

"I told Gamora how when I was a kid, I used to pretend that David Hasselhoff was my dad." At Drax and Rockets confused look at each other Peter clarified, "He's a singer and actor from Earth, really famous guy." Drax nodded. "Earlier it struck me. Yandu didn't have a talking car, but he did have a flying arrow. He didn't have the beautiful voice of an angle but he did have the whistle of one. Both Yandu and David Hasselhoff went on kick-ass adventures and hooked up with hot women and fought robots."

"I guess David Hasselhoff did end up kinda being my dad after all. Only it was you, Yandu. I had a pretty cool dad." Peter took a sharp breath, trying to hold back the sobs. Though he wasn't successful as a tear dripped down his cheek. "What I'm trying to say here is that sometimes that thing your searching for your whole life… it's right there by your side all along. You don't even know it."

Valkyrie heard Nebula walk off. Gamora stared at her retreating figure and then practically ran out after her. Valkyrie took Gamora's place and grabbed Peter's hand. "I am Groot." Baby Groot stated and Valkyrie smiled and sniffed.

"He did call you twig." Rocket admitted.

The table rolled slowly forward into the tube with rainbow fire. Rocket picked up Groot and together with Drax they moved away. Peter turned around and began to walk out until Kraglin called out, "Pete."

Peter stopped. "Captain found this in a junker's shop. Said you'd come back to the fold someday." Kraglin walked up to Peter holding a small black device with headphones wrapped around it. "It's called a Zune. It's what everyone's listening to on Earth right nowadays. It's got three hundred songs on it."

"Three… three hundred songs?" Peter stuttered with an amazed look on his face.

Kraglin just nodded his head yes, choked up and turned around to begin walking away until Peter said, "Wait." Kraglin stopped and turned around to look back at Peter. He reached down into a side pants pocket and took out Yandu's arrow and held it out to Kraglin. Kraglin took it with a stunned look, "Rocket grabbed the pieces, and reassembled them. I think Yandu would want you to have it."

Kraglin looked down at the arrow, his whole body struggling to keep back the sobs and choked out, "Thanks. Captain."

Peter just gave a smirk in response.

Peter and Valkyrie sat next to each other on a bed in the ship. One earphone plugged into Peter's left ear and the other into Valkyrie's right ear.

Peter clicked on an album that read Tea for the Tillerman and the song was called Father and Son by someone called Cat Stevens. Valkyrie heard rustling and saw that Baby Groot had joined them and was walking toward them slowly on the bed.

Peter pressed play and a guitar solo began the song. Baby Groot pulled himself up on Peter's leg and Peter moved his arm to let him up. Baby Groot reached for an earbud and Peter was about to give him his but Valkyrie stopped him and gave the one she was sharing to Baby Groot.

It's not time to make a change

Just relax, take it easy

You're still young, that's your fault

There's so much you have to know.

Find a girl, settle down

If you want you can marry

Look at me, I am old, but happy

I was once like you are now

And I know that it's not easy

To become, When you found something going on.-

[Excerpt from Father and Son in the Album Tea for the Tillerman by Cat Stevens]

Baby Groot pointed to the window and both Peter and Valkyrie looked out to see that the Ravager fleet had come after all. Valkyrie and Peter looked at each other, Peter scooped up Baby Groot, put him on his shoulder and pocketed the Zume. Together they raced for the cockpit.

"They came." Rocket got out, sounding surprised.

Drax stood up and they all covered at the window at the front of the ship, watching the ships pull in, "What is it?" Drax asked quietly.

"I sent word to Yandu's old Ravager buddies, and told them what he did."

Peter spoke up, "It's a Ravager funeral." Baby Groot lept from Peter's shoulder to Gamora's and she took him with both hands and held him close. Valkyrie grabbed Peter's hand as the firework display began. Hundreds of ships had shown up out of respect.

"He didn't chase them away." Rocket stated.

Peter walked up next to Rocket, taking Valkyrie with him, both of them unwilling to let go of each other, "No."

"Even though he yelled at them." Rocket said. "And was always mean." Suddenly Valkyrie had a feeling that he wasn't just speaking about Yandu, especially when he ended with, "And he stole batteries that he didn't need."

Peter glanced at Valkyrie and then looked down at Rocket, "Of course not."

Baby Groot reached for Drax who took him in his hands, which almost covered Baby Groot completely. Baby Groot yawned and rested his head on Drax's left shoulder and went to sleep. Valkyrie smiled at the cute sight of Drax petting Baby Groot's back and swayed a little to encourage Baby Groot to go to sleep.

Gamora stared at Peter until he noticed and turned his head to ask, "What?"

"It's just… some unspoken thing."

Peter smiled and nodded. Valkyrie let go of Peter's hand so that Gamora could lean into Peter and Peter could put his arms around her. Valkyrie smiled and backed away slowly from the group, feeling a bit out of place.

"It's beautiful." Mantis stated.

"It is." Drax replied. "And so are you." Drax was looking directly at the back of Mantis when he stated that. Then after a bit said, "On the inside."

Valkyrie covered her snort with a cough.

Valkyrie stayed in the room long enough to see the trail turn into an arrow and then she escaped the room. She had family to call.