Big Jet Plane
Mere hours after the traumatic events, Nebula and Peter boarded the Benatar.
Peter washed his hands solemnly as he was also washing away Tony Stark.
"Hey, kid!" Tony calls.
Peter looked up, his attention on his mentor, "Yeah?"
"What do you think about the name: Morgan?" He asks, twiddling his thumbs.
Peter shrugs, "It's a cool name, why?"
"No reason." He replies.
Peter smiles regardless, "If you say so." He says but knew the question was about something.
"Come on, champ, you gotta help me with Iron Man upgrades."
Peter could only look around the Benatar.
Morgan.
A potential child name.
It would make an incredible name.
Peter briefly thought about his mother, Aunt May and even Pepper Potts. He could only hope his mother figures survived the snap.
He looks on to Nebula. She said that Peter should fear her because she tortured people. She killed them. Without remorse, without hesitation.
Peter only examines titan before shifting his attention to Nebula, "You may have killed people but you stood against Thanos."
Nebula stays silent, So Peter continues.
"My mom and uncles always tell me not to judge on their past mistakes but present achievements and actions. You defended half of the galaxy from a lunatic ball sacked faced man. You're a hero in my book, Nebula."
Nebula turns away from Peter.
"I have food," Nebula offers, halting Peter's thoughts, "They're usually packed with food but now I see half of that." She throws the food covered in a Ziploc type of bag.
Peter didn't mind as he caught it with his web. Peter thanks her before he breaks the sandwich in half for himself and Nebula.
He taps her shoulder and Nebula quickly turns around, her dark black eyes pushing up walls, her hands already drawing up a weapon before seeing it was Peter. She puts the spoon down as she looks at the sandwich.
Nebula looked uncertain. Her eyebrow raised.
"Half for me, half for you. We won't starve like that." Peter explains.
Nebula hesitantly takes the sandwich and bites it.
Peter smiles gleefully as if his father figure and half of the universe hadn't disappeared.
Day 8
As they repaired the ship, Peter saw a piece of Nebula fall.
Her blush was periwinkle, Peter notes.
He grabbed the piece and examines it. It was wet with sweat, he assumes. It was also rusting, "Nebula, your headpiece is rusting," He murmurs as Nebula carefully peers at the piece.
"I don't have any replacements." Nebula said softly.
Peter looked at the remains of the iron man suit.
"Yeah, you do." He says with a grin.
[ HOURS LATER ]
He carefully screws the new part of the plate (forged from Tony's old suit) onto Nebula. She made little fuss about Peter wanting to help her. He tries not to remember when his Aunt May fixed his room even when he didn't say he needed help.
"Peter," She whispers, her voice deeper, "I can do this myself, you know."
He tries not to remember Uncle Ben who made him the person he is.
"I know you can," He replies, his voice just as gentle.
Nebula didn't say anything.
He tries not to remember Mr. Stark or Natasha, who helped him whenever he needed it.
"Can I touch your cheek?" He asks. The final fixing required the piece to connect with whatever plate was there. Peter silently promised Nebula that he would replace every single mechanical piece with pieces he can find at the Stark tower.
Nebula nods.
He slowly puts the plate onto her cheek.
"It's just easier with a little bit of help sometimes, bud."
He watched as Nebula plays with her hands.
"Thank you." Nebula said to Peter.
Peter did his best to smile. Even dead, Tony helps, "You're welcome."
It was day 10.
Peter and Nebula still had food but not much oxygen.
They tried to stop on planets for repairs but when they did, they saw crisis on top of a crisis and they both agreed not to repair as to not cause harm or get harmed or even worse, get stranded.
"So, you're saying that people would drink dangerous chemical packets for fun?" Nebula asks, hysterical.
Peter nods with a chuckle, "It was funny because some people did put it in their mouths and proceeded to spit it out because they tasted nasty."
"Humans are dumb," Nebula states, "I'll protect them."
Peter laughs, "We are," He says thoughtfully as he was reminded of Tony who could recite the numbers of Pi but can't remember his birthday. He was reminded of Natasha who could very well choreograph fights for Peter but doesn't know-how to talk her feelings out.
"They are dumb, but," Peter chirps, "I guess that's the charm?"
Nebula nods, "I guess it is," She understands, "Quill was dumb but yet Gamora loved him."
"See? the charm."
Day 11
"WRA!" A frustrated Nebula puts her arm out to catch the paper football.
Peter looks at her amused, "You don't need to do that," He instructs and emphasizes his arm posture, "You're just holding the position."
They were playing paper football as Peter calls it. Nebula liked the game.
She puts her two fingers together as Peter attempts to shoot a goal and misses, "That was lame. Your turn." He says and does the same position Nebula did.
Nebula shoots her "paper football" into Peter's goal and successfully makes it in.
"GOAL! AND THE CROWDS GO WILD! WAAAAAH!" Peter says cheerfully and even waves his arms around.
Nebula looks throughout the Benatar, "There aren't any crowds, Peter."
"But imagine there is!"
Nebula didn't get how Peter could remain so positive even his father disappeared. She wished she had that much optimism.
Peter shoots a goal.
And so does Nebula.
"We're now one apiece," Peter informs.
"I would like to try again." Nebula says, hiding away her excitement.
And they exchanged goals, Nebula managed to score one. Already she looks at Peter and what he does make her smile.
"Oooooh! Miss Galatic Nebula has scored a goal against the infamous Spider-Man!" Peter changes his tone, "Do you feel the tension brewing? Is it fun?"
Nebula nods.
Peter attempts to shoot a goal but it was poorly executed, "That's terrible. You now have a chance to win."
Peter looked thrilled. His tired eyes were shinning, he had a big grin, his cheeks were a rosy pink. Nebula ignored the sunken eyes and cheeks in favor of focusing on the positive.
Nebula shoots her paper football into Peter's makeshift goal.
He smiles proudly as he says, "You've won. Great game." Peter puts his hand out for her to shake and Nebula does.
She won.
For the first time in her entire life, she won.
Peter walks and goes to the hammock he made, "You had fun?"
"It was a lot of fun." Nebula supplies.
Day 19
Nebula could no longer ignore Peter's declining condition.
He was thinner than when she first saw him. Even the shirt and pants he had on became a little baggy on him. He was sleeping more often and he'd get sick quickly if Nebula wasn't on top of him all the time. He always webbed thicker blankets (and even the webs looked less potent) and was consistently anxious. Nebula was worried about him.
It was lunchtime and they only had two sandwiches left. Nebula gave both sandwiches to Peter.
Peter looks up from the chair with a gentle smile. His head slightly swaying as he gives the sandwich back to Nebula.
But Nebula ate enough. She gives it to Peter again.
Peter takes a bite.
"You know," She sits down next to Peter, "My father did this to me."
She stares at her bionic hands, feeling disgusted, "I had hair, a nice face, no robot limbs. But my father kidnapped me from my home and from there, he would always pit me against Gamora. And I'd lose every time. And every time I'd lose, he'd take out a limb or body part and replace it with robotic parts instead. To make me her equal he said."
Peter stayed silent.
"He even killed me at one point to change my skull." She touches the base of her ear and there generates a hologram of Gamora.
"I grew to resent Gamora. Why couldn't she lose a fight? Why did she have to be better than me? Even when we were free, I'd still try to kill her. But she never did try to kill me. She even hugged me. I guess after that... I was okay with Gamora." Nebula concludes blinking furiously, "I wish I had said more. Because she's dead. I can't get her back and hug her longer. I can only live to regret the fact that I was too envious of Gamora to barely notice her saving me from our father or even sliding me scraps of food as I was facing punishments."
Peter lay his head on her shoulder, "Never live in the past, Nebs," He shares, "I think this is a step forward to grief. Like sharing it."
Nebula steals a glance, "How about your family? The man in armor? Or your mother?"
Peter closed his eyes, "My mom is the greatest. Whenever I would come to her home, she would make me a jelly sandwich or buy me a sandwich from this really good store. She would also play games with me, give me advice, and loves me wholeheartedly." He smiles gently, "I mean she and I made mistakes. There were times when we argued. We had rough patches, but we'd always come back to each other like we were magnets, you know? She's trying so hard to make up for the years lost too. I love her and I would never trade the world for her."
Nebula lets herself smile. At least Peter had his family as she had imagined a true family to be. Not perfect but it was the closest to perfection.
Peter stands and stumbled towards his father's helmet. He tapped it twice and slept next to it soundly.
Nebula sighs as she goes and carries Peter back to the chair, leaving the helmet on the floor.
Day 21
Peter was getting sickly skinny. It looked like his cells were eating him until there was nothing left to chew on. They only had a sandwich because Peter only ate one and little to no oxygen.
Nebula watched over the boy similar to a hawk. She didn't like how he resembled a skeleton. She didn't like how he stunk of must and his lips were dryer than any desert. She didn't like how even Quills clothes made Peter look like a rag doll. She didn't even like how his elbows were weirdly so visible than when they first arrived at the Benatar.
She gave him the last sandwich.
And even starving, Peter splits the sandwich.
But Nebula didn't want it. She pressed the sandwich gently to his chest. Her large black eyes looking at his tired brown eyes, "Eat."
Peter didn't have much energy to fight, so he ate.
After his last meal, He crawls to the iron man helmet. During the times he had done that, he only looked at the memories or just to stare at it.
But this time, he presses a button inside and this time it scanned him twice.
Nebula lets herself leave.
-
Peter looks at the helmet with distraught. He licked his dry lips and watched as the helmet scans him.
This was his last message.
"So... uh... No one knows me. And I'm pretty sure it won't stay that way as I'm in space and my mom knows my secret identity. So I won't bother to explain it. But this goes to my mom, aunt may... And Mr. Stark.
It's day what? 21 or 22? I'm not sure. But I'm in the Guardians ship with Nebula. She's great, She's been taking care of me while I've been doing gods know what. I fought... Can I even say I fought when all I did was kick and stand in front of four gleaming infinity stones? I'm not sure! But whatever! "
I have an infection and I can't get it cured. The Guardians first aid box is empty and most of the iron man pieces have died. I only used some to repair Nebula and the helmet doesn't die I guess. Really random thing to power rather than the repulsors or the arc reactor. I dunno if you're even going to get these recordings. I'm stranded in space."
Peter chaps his lips and hears his tummy rumble. He could only ignore his impending headache as he talked too much today.
"If I wasn't stranded, I would've found space to be... beautiful. With stars shining and seeing comets. It's almost great if you could ignore that space is a void and the chances of someone finding me is slim to none. But whatever... Nebula is great. I feel like you'll love her. Sarcastic, funny, she reminds me of blue from blues clues minus the trauma, species, and robotic parts. She's cool.
But besides my amazing blue meanie," Peter chuckles, "I'm almost out of food... The nearest space gas station is lightyears away and since I'm all dehydrated, starving, and infected: I won't make it. So, please know that... When I die, When I drift off to the afterlife. My last two thoughts will always be you two and my uncle ben and my aunt may. I wouldn't be who I am today without you and..." Peter tears up, his head starting to pound, "And I'm so grateful for that. Signing off with a gleeful goodbye, Peter Parker."
Peter goes and shuts off the iron man helmet and removes his hand swiftly. He stares at it. He tries to ignore the Tony Stark aura the helmet had. Because even touching it, made Peter want to cry. He gently moves it away and turns away from the helmet before lying back and taking a moment.
A moment to relive his life.
"With great power, comes great responsibility, Peter."
"I got you."
"So, you wanna lookout for the little guy? That's it?"
"And for Peter."
"I love you, Peter."
Peter closes his eyes.
-
"Five more minutes," A sleepy Peter grumbles as he hides in the blanket.
But the source of light shined brighter.
"If this is god playing a joke on me, I hope to all heavens he isn't-" He takes off the jacket and instead sees a glowing person -- No, woman.
Her lips twitch.
Peter had his mouth open as he covers his eyes from the brightness, "Can you lower the brightness, Miss woman? I'm nearly dead." He requests and she did.
With no words being said, She goes under the Benatar and that's when it starts to go quicker than the ships has ever been. So fast that Peter fell and landed next to the helmet and near Nebula who was fixing her robotic arm.
"Did you see her?" She asks.
Peter nods.
"I hope she's taking us to your home." Nebula wishes.
Peter stays silent for a moment before responding, "Me too." And as the Benatar sped through space, he wonders if his mother is home.