Carmen here.

Appearing randomly in the middle of a busy square is a good way to get noticed. In case anyone doubted it. People ran away screaming when they saw us.

Edward grabbed my hand. "Let's go."

I'm a fast runner. Edward... sorry, Edward, but you aren't. I dragged him behind me as I ran, pushing past people.

"Come on! Ivy gave us something to do, let's do it," he said.

I followed him, staggering slightly along and definitely slowing him down.

Two of the law enforcement started running after us.

Edward stopped abruptly.

"What are you doing?"

"This is easier than finding the building and a way in."

You really think they won't say we're crazy?" I demanded.

"You got a better idea?"

One of them grabbed Edward's arm and yanked Ivy's watch-thing off his wrist. "You're aware this is illegal, right?"

Edward blinked. "No, I didn't know. Someone gave it to me. She told me that I had to deliver a message to whoever's in charge here. She said to say that Ronan is going to attack, soon, and to say that Ivy Williams says so."

The two officers stared blankly at us for a moment.

"I don't really know if that means anything to you, but she made it sound pretty important."

One of them seemed to be listening to something over an earpiece for a moment. "You'd better come with us."

Ivy here.

I didn't know if the name Ivy Williams meant anything to them or not. I just took a guess and hoped it would. Apparently, I was right. I love it when I'm right.

As we approached Xandar, I began to feel very nervous about what was going to happen next.

I wasn't worried about me, but the baby. This is kind of the thing they tell pregnant women to avoid.

On the surface, I could get badly hurt. On the ship, I could get badly hurt. Well, I couldn't go to the surface now, I'd given that ability away.

The worst part was that I'd almost certainly be pulled into the event anyhow. I didn't have a choice in the matter. The way my power works, important events like that draw me in, somehow. I just somehow find myself in the middle of them. I've just given up trying to avoid them, to be completely honest.

When I asked Peter Quill if I could come with them to help take out Ronan, I received a blank stare.

"The thing is, my abilities pull me into big events like this," I said. "It's confusing and complicated and frustrating, but the thing is, I can't avoid it either way. I'd rather be sure that I don't get hurt worse than necessary and just cooperate with fate. Or whatever it is."

It took some convincing, but they let me come.

I took my bag, which I'd brought with me off of Knowhere, and pulled out my old S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform. I'd received it while training to be a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and had been wearing it when I "died". It had been the middle of a night. I'd got out of bed to to have a glass of water, then had a little accident with a kitchen knife. My own clumsiness. Of all the ways to go...

It felt oddly appropriate to wear it, despite the fact that it was too tight now, especially around the stomach.

The outfit received a lot of stares – and not all of them due to the unusual nature of the clothing.

"What is that?" asked Peter Quill as I got onto his ship.

"It's complicated," I replied, sitting down behind him, "and it involves some things about my life I'd rather not think about right now."

We flew toward Ronan's ship.

Had I made the right decision, choosing to come along? I would have ended up there anyway, but this was about more than just me now.

We gained access to Ronan's ship and got off of Quill's. It was so dark inside you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

"I can barely see," said Drax.

Groot opened his hand, releasing a handful of luminescent spores.

"Where did you learn to do that?" asked Drax.

"I'm pretty sure that the answer is 'I am Groot'," said Quill.

We walked forward, splitting up as we moved toward the interior of the ship.

The first group of Sakaarans charged. They found themselves being thrown against the wall by the Guardians of the Galaxy.

If I'd known three years ago that I'd ever say that...

One of them managed to get past and ran at me.

You know how Drax called them paper people? Tough as they are, it turns out if you know where to kick them, it still hurts them a lot.

Also, if you hit someone in the eye with something, it stings a lot.

The Sakaaran didn't seem too interested in attacking after that.

I looked up to see Star-Lord staring.

"What?"I said. "You seriously think I lasted this long without being able to defend myself?"

He returned his attention to the other aliens.

I followed them into Ronan's ship, dealing with aliens as necessary.

I just wanted this entire experience to be over. To be able to find a new hiding place and to have the baby.

Carmen here.

We were taken straight to the Nova Prime. Apparently, Ivy's name wasn't entirely unfamiliar or they weren't intending to take any chances about warning about Ronan. Probably a mixture of both.

"Who is Ivy Williams?" demanded the Nova Prime. "You said she gave you the message and the transporter. You must at least have seen her."

I decided it was probably a bad idea to mention that we'd known each other for years.

Edward stepped slightly in front of me and answered the question. "We met her in the street. On Knowhere. She's a Terran. Young, I think under twenty. She has short red hair."

"And why did she give you this message?"

"Something about her being busy and having to go."

The Nova Prime eyed him suspiciously for a moment. "What's your name?"

"Edward."

"Last name?"

He glanced back at me and answered.

"What was her message?"

"That Ronan will be attacking Xandar really, really soon, and that you need to move fast."

"We received a similar transmission from an outlaw known as Peter Quill. Do you know who he is?"

"She was with him," I said. "Him and some others, I don't remember who all."

"You don't believe them, do you?" asked someone standing near her.

"I'm still deciding whether or not I do. What they say lines up with what else we know. What else did she tell you?"

Edward relaxed slightly, as did I. This might turn out okay after all.

Ivy here.

We reached Ronan's main room in time.

Rocket fired the weapon. There was an explosion.

And of course Ronan just turned around and stared at us.

I stayed in the doorway, completely out of the way, because I have no desire to get thrown around like a rag doll.

Luckily, Ronan was focusing on the others far to much to notice me.

Until he was finished with them, that is.

He turned his attention to me. "You finally came."

Oh, great.

He strode across the long room toward me.

I pulled out my stun gun and fired it. Unfortunately, my aim isn't that great, so I missed.

And then Peter Quill's ship flew straight into Ronan.