A/N: OMG. Sweet Hallelujah. This. Chapter. Is. Done. It was painful - I won't lie - but it's DONE.

So enjoy the conclusion to "Gravitation".

Chapter 06 - Afterglow

The Milano was oddly quiet, and Thera couldn't help fearing that she was the reason why.

Oh, what had possessed her to make such a scene? A little dehydration? No; that had only given her a headache and tested a dam she hadn't realized was fractured.

'I thought I was okay,' she thought, roaming a round room. 'But I guess I do miss Enderlin…'

Did that make her trip selfish? Instead of helping Sam, she became a burden. Way to go, Thera.

The mutant sighed. Then, a door hissed behind her.

"Forget it, Quill. I ain't listenin' to any more Earth garbage."

"Queen isn't garbage, Rocket. Even the Kuloth understood that."

"Ya mean the one who tried to squash yer head?"

"See? Now why would he do that if Queen was worthless?"

"I dunno. Maybe because he's a Kuloth? Ya don't steal from Kuloths, Quill! They're one of the most vindictive races in the known universe."

"What? Scared, Ranger Rick?"

"Not scared, Hypocrite. Annoyed. Ya were givin' me grief about the cruiser when ya—"

"Uh." Thera waved for attention. When she had it, she smiled. "Hello. What's with the swim trunks, Sir?"

"Fin," Star Lord said. "When'd you get up?"

Thera shrugged. She hadn't seen any clocks since leaving Earth. Which made sense. Each planet used its own calendar and outer space had no need for time.

"Who cares when?" Rocket asked. "How ya holdin' up?"

"Not so bad," Thera started, "but I—I wanted to apologize."

The Guardians exchanged looks.

"What for?" asked Star Lord.

"Everything, Sir. I never got permission to come aboard and I didn't think my suit would—"

Star Lord held up a hand. "Let's pause there. First, I said stop calling me 'Sir'. Second, do we look like a group who asks for permission? Ever?"

"Uh…"

"Personally, I hate stowaways. But seeing as how you're Sam's friend, I let things slide. And that was that."

"Sir—Star Lord, I—"

"Quill's got a point," added Rocket. "No use in gripin'."

"Oh, I'm not griping!" Thera cried.

"Why ya still talkin' then?"

"Because I feel terrible about the trouble I've caused!"

Star Lord sniggered.

"Look, Scales. Only trouble around here comes from this guy." Rocket jabbed a thumb at his leader, who blanched. "And if he plays any rubbish while I'm fixin' the thrusters, I'll break out the flame thrower."

"Dude!" Star Lord sidestepped. "Uncool!"

"The thrusters died?" questioned Thera.

Rocket gave a curt nod. "That's what happens when idiots abuse their cruisers and don't change faulty equipment before takeoff."

"I have been nothing but gentle with my Milano," Star Lord said. "Like the tender lover I am."

"Tender? There're a line of women who'd disagree with that."

"Says you."

"Says the psychotic ex's we keep runnin' into across the galaxy. Ya got any idea how much easier things would be if ya weren't such a—"

"Excuse me again," Thera interjected. She laughed weakly. "Where're the others?"

"Outside," Rocket answered. "The kid mentioned landin' here before our thrusters sputtered out."

"Why would Sam do that?"

Star Lord sent Thera a crooked grin. "It's a water-rich planet. He thought you could use a breather, so to speak."

"He did?" The mutant fought a smile as Rocket waved a paw.

"Yeah, yeah," he said. "How sweet. Take yer puppy love elsewhere. I got work to do."

"It's not love," Thera muttered. Right?

"Fin!" Star Lord waved over the redhead. "This way. I'm sure you wanna see Sam."

Thera groaned. "Haven't you teased enough?"

"Never. Now take this."

"What is it?" Thera grabbed a tube from Star Lord and looked it over.

"It's my special cream."

'Say what?' Brow raised, Thera hesitated before following the Guardian through the doorway.

"It isn't anything weird," Star Lord added. "It accelerates healing. Put it on your forearms. Considering how often you pick at them, they could use the help."

She didn't pick at them. Did she?

The mutant lifted her arms then cringed. Their scales were jagged, their color muted. New blood had formed around her fins and spotted her webbed-hands, and the smell soured her stomach.

Star Lord clicked his tongue. "See? Clip those things on a doorjamb, they'll rip right off."

Thera's stomach sank. "Uff da! Thanks for giving me something new to worry about."

"Just sayin'."

"Well don't."

Thera sent a sidelong stare then opened the tube. She applied its cream along her dry skin, tailing Star Lord throughout the Milano until they reached its exit. A damp heat wafted up once the stern opened—as if Thera had abandoned the AC for a sauna. She blinked, webbed feet slipping along the metal ramp as she eased into a bright haze.

"Fin, here."

Squinting, Thera reached for whatever Star Lord offered. Smooth, thin plastic? Ah, sunglasses. The teen slipped them onto her face and thanked the Lord that her sight had returned. She'd almost run into Drax.

"Oh, pardon me, Drax Sir," she said, bent backwards.

Drax turned with slim eyes. "Pardon? Why? What have you done, Child?"

"…Nothing?"

The man grunted. "You have recovered."

"Y—yes. I'm, uh, fit as a fiddle now."

The white eyes narrowed further. "What is a 'fiddle'?"

"It's an instrument, you know? Like a violin, except more…coun…try…" The phrase was lost on the alien, so Thera glanced down then up again. "So, how's the weather?"

"Hot and wet."

The mutant forced a chuckle. He sounded so serious for such a simple answer.

"Thera?"

Thera rounded Drax as a dark figure landed beside her. "Hi, Sam," she said.

"Feeling any better?" Nova questioned. Was it wrong to enjoy the concern in his voice?

"Yep," Thera answered.

"Really?" Nova's attention fell on the redhead's arms.

Thera nodded, scales ruffling atop her cheekbones. "Ya betcha. I just needed…water. Uh, wh—where are we?"

"Al'kon."

"It's like a tropical island."

"Only on the equator."

"How hot is it?"

The Centurion shrugged one shoulder.

"Ninety," Star Lord answered. His bare chest puffed up. "Ah. Smell that salty breeze."

"You mean Fahrenheit, right?" asked Thera.

"What else would I mean?"

"Celsius."

"Who uses Celsius?"

"I do. Along with a majority of Earth's people."

"Wait," Nova interjected, "why do you use Celsius?"

"Everyone from North Dakota does."

Nova's lips twitched upward. "Nor'Dakoda?"

"I do not sound like that."

"You do. Just ask Webs; he loves your accent."

"Oh, I don't have an accent. And Spider-Man's impersonations are worse than yours. We aren't Canadian."

"Close enough, eh? Guess that's why you use Celsius."

"Oh, for crying out loud!"

"Gotta agree with Sam there," said Star Lord. He laughed, tucking his chin to peer over his sunglasses.

"You would," Thera told him.

"Accents aside, does this look like Earth?"

Thera glossed over the white sand and gentle surf until her eyes settled on some distant rock formations. "Kind'a."

"Well, it ain't. Its days are nearly three hours shorter and its orbit is a decade longer."

"But we can breathe."

Star Lord stretched. "Carbon-based. Point-nine atmospheric pressure. So long as we stay away from the polar ends, we're golden."

"Which means…?"

"It means you should be fine in the water," Nova said.

With a frown, Thera flexed her forearms. They already felt stiff again.

"By the way, Sam." Star Lord approached the Centurion. "Why are you still suited up?"

"Recon," said Nova dryly. "You may've ditched, but Master Gamora was concerned about pirates."

"Pirates?" Thera echoed.

Nova looked her way. "There's a reason this planet isn't settled."

Star Lord waved a dismissive hand. "A little piracy never stopped us, but I take it the report was clear?"

"Yeah. Gamora's on her way back now."

"Score!"

"Got plans?"

Star Lord adjusted his sunglasses. "Naturally. So why not dress down and break out the beach gear?"

"Got you beat, Quill." Nova removed his helmet, and with it, his uniform. In place of civilian clothes, though, he wore a pair of teal swimming trunks.

"Uh"—Thera did her best to ignore the Hispanic's lean chest—"you guys have beach gear?"

Star Lord nodded. "No harm in positive thinking. Right, Kid?"

Sam flashed a smile. It was profound. Light. How strange. Where had his heaviness gone so quickly?

"Catch!"

Thera stopped a volleyball from sailing into her head, but just barely. "Careful, Sam!"

"Well maybe you shouldn't be daydreaming." Sam stepped off the stern ramp then wiggled his eyebrows. "Was it saucy?"

Ugh. The mutant squeezed the volleyball. She'd be worried about that?

"Come on, tell me," Sam continued. "You wanted to talk, right? Was the dream about me?"

"None of your business."

"It was!"

"As if!"

"Come on, guys," Star Lord butted in. He seemed too amused. "Save that passion for the game."

Thera creased her brow. "Game?"

The man pointed at what Thera held.

"Volleyball?" she asked. "Do you even know how to play?"

"Sam taught us."

"Keep on your toes, though." Sam leaned towards Thera's ear. "They cheat."

Star Lord scoffed. "Cheating makes things fun. And don't act above us. I know what happened last time."

"It was the ball's fault."

"Uh-huh. Just for that, I'm switching up teams."

"To what, Quill?" Gamora joined the conversation, a hand on her hip. When she had returned or how she hadn't fainted from being in costume, Thera had no clue. "Do you believe Sam, Drax, and I make a poor team?"

"No," Star Lord countered.

"Then why change?"

"Because it's unfair. Okay?"

Thera watched Star Lord groan. "I thought cheating was fun."

"Cheating, yes," the man said. "But with Drax and Gamora on the same side, my poor body suffers. I'm delicate."

Gamora looked less than impressed. "Then maybe you should not willingly set yourself up."

"Or"—Star Lord grinned—"I can give myself a fighting chance. I'll take Drax (wherever he wondered off to) and you keep Sam."

"What about me?" asked Thera.

Star Lord rubbed his chin. "Simple. You pick a side."

"Don't I make things…uneven?"

"We'll manage. So, you ready to play volleyball—Guardian Style?"

Thera matched Star Lord's smirk then nodded.

Hours later, the Guardians retired from their tied game, and Thera found herself lost in Al'kon's twilight. It was perfect. Who knew she would find such contentment on an alien planet? The redhead closed her eyes, smiling at the wind that left salt in her nose and the surf that cradled her.

'Not even mine and Eorl's secret lake felt this good…ow!'

Thera opened her eyes to see what had hit her. Sam loomed overhead, now dressed in a sweater and shorts. His mouth moved, but all Thera could hear was his foot through the water.

She twisted her neck so one ear stuck out. "Pardon?"

"It's not too cold?" Sam asked through chattering teeth.

"Nope!" Thera inhaled then stopped, gaze turning upwards. "Is it time to go?"

"Almost. Master Rocket's making a few adjustments on the Nova Cruiser."

"How much longer?"

"Dunno."

Thera let out a long sigh. Sam shifted, but the mutant kept focused. Blues and purples with a pink-ish hint: those were her favorite colors for a sky. Forget that murky orange in the city.

"Oh." Something bright caught Thera's attention. "Is that a firefly?"

"Fireflies don't exist outside Earth," replied Sam.

Thera watched the light join dozens like it. "Then what are they?"

"Seeds."

"From what?"

"Groot." Sam smiled; it reflected in his voice. "He must be happy too."

"Who else is happy, Sam? You?"

The Hispanic rubbed his biceps. "Maybe. Are you? Better be, considering it's your fault we stopped."

"I thought the thrusters gave out."

"We were already on our way here."

"So it's my fault we played volleyball then?"

"Totally."

"Guess there are worse things to be blamed for…Oh!" Thera sat upright. "Sorry, I didn't mean—"

Sam kicked the shallow water. "No. It's fine. I'm fine."

Somehow, Thera believed him. "You talked about the Yoon-Beas."

"With Quill. Still mad I didn't come to you first?"

"No." The mutant pulled her hands out from the wet sand then ran them down her submerged legs. "I'm glad you found someone to confine in. I've realized that wasn't what bothered me."

"So what did? Was it really because you felt like I was leaving you behind?"

"Would you be upset if I said 'yes'?"

Sam sighed over the surf's rhythmic mummer. "Guess not. I've been left. I understand the fear of it happening again. But I told you I'd be back."

"Oh, did you forget everything in the shower?"

"You realize that sounds so wrong."

Thera made a face.

"I didn't forget," added Sam, softer.

"Outer Space doesn't care about different species. Out here, my X-Gene is overlooked. I'm…normal."

"No one here is normal, Fin. Thera."

"Call me whatever. All the world will ever see is 'Fin'."

"That doesn't mean you stop being 'Thera'."

"You don't get it. I feel like Thera died in Enderlin."

Sam jerked his head downwards as the redhead continued,

"She had a family, a best friend. She could walk a street without people staring at her scales. Being in the water was a choice—not a life or death matter. She was simple and never dreamed big."

"So you're saying that ain't you anymore?"

Thera's hand rose to touch a glowing seed with her fingertip. "Closest to grand I got was swimming competitions. But Eorl had always been better. He could aim for the Olympics. While I accepted my small-town status. I mean, my greatest aspiration was to follow Uncle Bernie's footsteps."

Sam snorted. "In a crop duster."

"Yup. But instead, I'm a superhero. I'm in Space."

"Space is universal, Idiot. You've always been in it."

"Oh, you get my point."

"Not really."

"You're the one who's been constantly reminding me that I belong on Earth. You must realize people find being here a far-off dream. They barely get a chance to jump continents, let alone planets. This may be routine for you, but for me this trip has been…"

"What?"

"Oh, I—I don't know. There's no word for it. But I'm happy."

"Happy? Even though you never got what you wanted?"

"What I wanted was to feel like part of a family again."

"By stowing away on a spaceship?"

"Oh, it was a terrible idea. But you shut me down. I get your need to talk about certain things with certain people. Lord knows Fury's therapist doesn't understand half the things she says she does."

"Tell me about it."

"For crying out loud, I've been trying to." Thera captured two seedlings, using their yellow light as a distraction from Sam's gaze. "We were held captive together. We made a promise. I thought that meant something."

"It did. Does. But…" The Hispanic rubbed his neck.

"I'm not an Enderlin girl anymore. I can't go back and I'm not sure how to go forward, either. I'm…in limbo."

"We're teenagers. No teenager knows where they'll end up. Except for me, of course. I'll be the top hero in the universe that gorgeous girls fawn over."

Thera deadpanned.

"That said," Sam added, "you have time to figure things out."

"I don't need time, Samuel. I need a friend."

Sam remained stiff, water crashing against his shins, and his persistent silence made the mutant frown.

"I—I can't find my path alone," she said softly. "I'm no good on my own. I love my team, but being with them is different from…"

"From what?"

Thera's head shook like her hands. "Nothing. It's just—you're one of the only friends I have outside Enderlin. I…I don't want that to change."

"Thera."

Sam leaned down and Thera avoided his eyes when he touched her shoulder. What if he thought she was being dumb? Overemotional? Curséd feelings.

"Hey, love birds!" Star Lord's voice scared the teens straight. "Time to scat!"

"Love birds?" questioned Sam.

"Scat?" Thera followed up.

They shared a look as the man waved in the distance alongside his team.

"Guess the weekend's over," the redhead noted.

"Don't worry." Sam flashed a smirk. "They'll be more like it."

Thera watched the Hispanic leave with a smile.

That was a promise, wasn't it? About time! She needed more chances with the Guardians. And even more chances with Samuel. Maybe then she could understand why she gravitated towards him.

A/N: Sam and Thera. AKA, the old married couple. Thera isn't as shy as I planned. Silly girl. They're still fun to write, though. Definitely different from Danny and Zeelan.

Speaking of...their book "Vantage" is next. But I likely won't get to it for a while. Be on the lookout. Until, adios! XD