*****Author's notes*****

Whoa! I am blown away with the response to this! I have to admit I was not expecting this!

Now as you can clearly see this was not just a one-shot. I saw the movie a few days ago and promptly came home looking for powerful!Peter fics and was sad not to find any. So without further ado enjoy the fic!

With a jaw cracking yawn Peter leaned back in the pilot's seat and stretched, making his spine pop and snap. Rocket walking up behind him shuddered and winced.

"Oh! Ew, ew, ew! That is disgusting!" A grim spread over Peter's face as he popped his back one more time just for the little mammal.

"You here to finally trade me, pest?" The man stood and stretched, making way for Rocket to get by and sit.

"Still not a pest, ya dumb Terran. But yeah." The raccoon got to work adjusting the controls so he could reach them before sitting back to man the helm while they floated through space. It had only been a few days since Ego was destroyed and everyone was still lounging around and recovering. Already the bruises had started to fade, although Mantis still had a rather bad knot on her head.

Peter hummed as he started to wander off but paused when his friend called back to him.

"Hey Peter, go get some sleep. You're starting to make my rings look pale in comparison."

Peter snorted and gave him a one finger salute, but did head towards his one rooms. He'd been having some trouble sleeping, and by trouble he meant he ended up laying there staring at the ceiling for hours with no sign of sleep. He'd nod off for an hour or two when he basically passed out, but other than that he was running on no rest.

He crashed onto his bed again and stuck in his headphones, hoping some music would help his mind shut down. If he could just stop thinking he'd be fast asleep. But visions and thoughts about his mother and father, as well as his dad, kept chasing each other around. With a sigh Peter prepared himself for another long rest period.

Two days later the rest of their mixed family had noticed how pale and listless Peter was getting. With all his usual tact Drax had told him that he looked less attractive than Mantis. Which had lead to Gamora chewing him out and him reassuring Mantis that she was beautiful...on the inside at least.

Peter had just snorted and gone back to his meal. That was how things usually went. Someone says something, someone else takes offence, the first person defends their actions or words, then in their own convoluted way apologizes. It was pretty damn dysfunctional, but it worked for them.

Then a tiny voice piped up making them all take notice.

"I am Groot?"

Peter raised a brow at him them turned to Rocket since he was usually the one who replied to Groots questions.

Rocket sighed and shook his head, not sure how to explain the grief cycle to a virtual toddler.

"No, Groot, he's not sick. Peter's just letting his emotions turn him into a little girl."

Drax laughed loudly at that and Peter gave the rodent the stink eye, "Don't listen to him Groot, I'm just a little tired. And at least my bags will go away, unlike certain small mammals I could mention."

Rocket growled lightly, but didn't really take offence. He'd been called worse.

"Yeah, whatever you say Star Princess." Rocket turned back to his plate.

"Furry Rodent." Peter replied before taking a drink.

"I am Groot!" the little tree growled out at Rocket.

Rocket's jaw just about hit the floor. Peter spit out the juice he'd been drinking across the table and onto Mantis. Gamora gave a scandalized yelp and Drax just slapped his knee red in the face from trying to laugh and talk.

"The small tree gave you a great insult!" Drax didn't even try to stifle his chuckles when Gamora threw him a tight lipped glare.

Once Peter had stopped trying to inhale his drink he patted Groot on the head and tried and failed to hide his amusement. "Now Groot, buddy, I know you were just trying to be on my side, but you can't just call people a-" he considered how to phrase it, "...well that whole first part. Plus you know Rocket doesn't like to be called a dumb raccoon. Now what do we say to Rocket?"

The little plant sighed but gave Rocket a big eyed stare, "I am Groot..."

Rocket considered for a moment before nodding, "Apology accepted...and I'm not a freaking raccoon."

The rest of the meal went without incident, although Drax would occasionally start to laugh and they would all take turns reminding him not to encourage that bad behavior.

But it was on their way to their own amusement for the night, or duties, that Peter grabbed Mantis and started walking with her down the hall.

Once he was sure they were out of earshot he sighed and hand went up to rub at his neck.

"Is there something bothering you?" she questioned in wide eyed innocence.

"Yeah, well, I mean," he started, "It's just...can you help me sleep?" He glanced around to make sure no one, especially Gamora and Rocket could hear, he'd never hear the end of it. "It's okay if you don't want to. I just thought that you could...you know."

The pale alien nodded in understanding, "You have been troubled. It was often the same with my master."

"Don't." Peter held up a hand and his shoulders came up defensively. Seeing that he'd startled her he put down his hand with a sigh, "It's okay. Just don't compare me to the a-hole, okay?"

Mantis slowly nodded her head, "I understand Peter. You should lay down."

It took him a moment longer than he's like to admit to catch on but once he did he hurried to open his room and lay down on the bed. "I really appreciate this, Mantis. If there's anything I can do to-"

A hand on his forehead shut him up and he stared up into her large dark eyes for only a moment before with a murmured command he was falling into blessed oblivion. He didn't even have time to thank her before he was out and snoring softly.

Mantis stumbled back from the bed with a gasp as shivers ran down her shoulders and arms. It had only been for a moment, but deep in Peter's mind she'd felt something that was as familiar to her as her own antenna. There was a kind of warmth deep in his subconscious so familiar that she could have been back on Ego with her master simulacrum.

Deeply troubled she stared down at the unassuming form of her new friend and felt dread run down her spine. Maybe she'd never be under Ego's thumb again, but a jolt like that had taken her back to before she'd met them.

With several backwards glances she left the room and shut the door, before sliding down to sit on the floor while she got her breathing back under control. She was still sitting there half an hour later when Gamora walked by and saw her.