We Aren't the Crystal Gems Without You

It's a Hug, Peridot

     Greg's van was parked a little ways past the barn. So Garnet, Pearl, Amethyst, and Connie made their way over.
     On the way, they passed the barn where Lapis Lazuli and Peridot lived. Inside, they were glued to the television screen watching season 2 of Camp Pining Hearts in the hay loft.
     "Hold on, guys," Connie said to the gems as she ran into the barn. "Peridot!" she called up into the loft.
     Peridot looked down from the loft to see Connie coming in. She wondered if she was coming to say that Steven had reformed or if there was another gem mission to be taken care of. "Hm...I'll be right back," Peridot told Lapis, whose eyes were still locked on the screen. She was mumbling the lines of the show along with the characters on the screen. "The Connie- I mean, Connie is here."
     "Is Steven with her?" Lapis asked, a pleading expression etched across her face.
     "I don't know. I'll go and see." Peridot rushed down the stairs. "Is he back?" Peridot approached Connie with a hopeful smile on her face.
     "Sorry, Peridot. I wish I could tell you better news like that," Connie replied. Peridot turned away, tears in her eyes, to go drown herself in some more Camp Pining Hearts videos. She and Lapis hadn't done anything else but that since they got home. They couldn't bring themselves to talk about what happened, so they just turned their minds to other things for as long as they could. "Wait!" Connie called back. Peridot turned, halfway up the stairs. "We're going to tell Mr. Universe about what happened to... You know," Connie held up Steven's gem.
     Peridot gasped and ran back down the stairs, snatching the gem. "You have his gem?!" Lapis looked down to see what was happening.
     "He still hasn't reformed," Lapis murmured sadly. Her wings appeared and she flew back to her spot on the couch, uninterested in what else they had to say. What she had seen was enough.
     "Careful!" Connie chastised. She was afraid that if the stone wasn't handled with care, it could crack.
     "I knew it was still intact," Peridot began, inspecting the gemstone, "but I didn't know if it had cracked or not! I knew it was fine somehow, but thank the Diamonds- I mean, thank goodness he was only this damaged!"
     "What do you mean?" Connie inquired.
     "Just think- let's say we had been fighting actual Homeworld gems. They have the technology to shatter gems! Now, of course, the corrupted ones don't know any better, but I don't think they have the ability to shatter, well at least most probably don't-"
     "Peridot," Connie interrupted. "This was different, though, remember? Steven was bleeding like a human would, but then he poofed just like a gem! I don't know what's going to happen now. No amount of your analyzing the corrupted gems or the diamonds or anything is going to help now, no offense. Anyway, are you coming?
     "Coming where?"
     "To tell Mr. Universe, you know, Steven's dad, about what happened to Steven."
     "The earth human? Sorry, Connie, but I'm not with great knowledge of the human if you know what I mean. We've never really talked that much. I even pushed him off a roof not to long ago. Then the fusion, Garnet, got angry with me. Apparently humans are quite fragile. I don't think I would be of any assistance." Peridot handed back the gem. "Just come back when Steven's back, okay?" She turned again to leave. But Connie threw her arms around Peridot. "W-what are you doing? Steven included me in this before and I've seen it on Camp Pining Hearts and-"
     "It's a hug, Peridot!" Connie gave a sad laugh as she held Peridot and the rose quartz gem in her arms. "And I'll let you know first thing if- I mean, when he comes back." She left the barn as Peridot smiled at her and then raced back up to Lapis.
     "Ready, Connie?" Pearl look down to make sure Connie still had the gem.
     "Yeah," Connie answered.  She looked down at the shining pink gem in her hands. "I'm ready."
     "What did Peridot have to say to you?" asked Garnet.
     "She was relieved that Steven's gem hadn't cracked and that they were only corrupted gems," Connie answered.
     "What do you mean, only corrupted gems?!" Pearl fumed.
     "No, I think I understand," Amethyst piped in. "First Peridot was sent, then Peridot and Jasper, and then the rubies. None of them ever returned to Homeworld. Wouldn't it make sense that the Diamonds would send more gems to shatter us? We're lucky it was just corrupted gems. If Steven does reform, and let's say that would be after Homeworld comes back, he might be safe from being shattered."
     "But is that suggesting that we would have been shattered by then?" Pearl asked, disturbed by Amethyst's statements.
     "But then the world would be destroyed if that happens! At least all life on it! If you all were shattered, we'd be doomed!" Connie exclaimed.
     "We will just have to hope that it doesn't come to that for a very long time," Garnet said.
     They walked on in silence until Connie said, "You know, if it ever does come to that while I'm still on the earth, you can count on me to help."
     "We couldn't ask you to-" Garnet began.
     "No, I will. Whether Steven is by my side or not, I'll fight to the end."
     "Hm," Garnet smiled. "Spoken like a true crystal gem."