Consequences

12 - Everything is Blue

The Crystal Gems were shocked and confused. Suddenly, their fear of the gems surrounding them was starting to fade.

What did Blue Diamond mean, it wasn't their choice to make? Did Blue Diamond herself choose the trade? But, that wouldn't make any sense. She wouldn't propose letting prisoners escape to herself. Someone else agreed to it.

"Who was it?" Ruby asked, holding tighter onto Sapphire's hand.

"You don't know?" Blue Diamond asked simply. Then she grinned. It wasn't kind grin, though. It was mocking. "It was your precious Steven."

The Crystal Gems all gasoed an steped back, careful not to run into the weapons of the guards around them. Pearl pushed forward, but Amethyst and Sapphire held her from running to Steven.

Steven kept his eyes on the floor. He didn't want to look at the gems. He couldn't help quickly glancing at them when his name was mentioned, however.

Behind his straight face, he was comletely distraught. He didn't want to never see his family again. But, in a way, Steven was also relieved. As long as his family was going to be safe, he was okay. Even if he had to live on Homeworld for the rest of his life, he would have the peace of knowing his family was safe.

"Steven!" pearl yelled. "How could you do this?!" Steven winced, allowing time for his heart to stop pounding at a specific memory. That statement sounded awfully familiar...

Blue Diamond looked down at the traitors. This conversation would be extremely amusing...

"I had to..." Steven muttered, still not looking up. Tears ran down the Crystal Gems' faces.

"No! Steven!" Ruby yelled. "You can't do this to us! You didn't have to! You shouldn't-"

"Then what should I have done?" Steven retaliating, throwing his hands out in an exhasperated gesture. "Let you die?" Steven breathed hard, and wiped his watering eyes.

Ruby stepped back and shook her head. Tears were evaporating from her own eyes before they had a chance to leave them.

"Steven..." Steven looked back at the floor. He didn't want the gems to see him cry. He didn't want to see them cry, either.

Especially when it was all his fault.

"Steven, please don't do this to us," Pearl begged. "W-we can't live without you! You're our Steven!" She stepped forward, but once again, the others held her back.

"Yes, you can." Steven said. Saying it hurt him, but by now, Steven honestly thought it was the truth.

"No we can't!" Pearl argued tearfully.

"Yes you can!" Steven said, taking a small step forward. He looked Pearl straight in the eyes, and although he sounded angry, all Pearl saw on Steven's face was distress and guilt. Why guilt? "Your lives were in danger a bunch of times because of ME! Your lives would be BETTER without me!"

Pearl, and her teammates, were completely shocked. This isn't what Homeworld was making him think, was it? They themselves hadn't made him think this, right?

"Steven... You... you don't really mean that?" Pearl managed to breathe out. She had been so surprised by Steven's outbursts, her rainfall of tears stopped momentarily.

Steven sighed, allowing a few tears to roll down his face. It was better than having them blur up his vision.

"I... I didn't want to believe it at first either..." He said quietly.

"Steven, we don't-" Pearl was interupted.

"It made me sad to think that I was the one causing all the problems. But when I stepped back to look at everything, it was obvious." Steven's voice broke a little at the end of his sentence. It physically hurt him to say this, but he needed the Crystal Gems to leave. He needed them to get away or they would be killed. For some odd reason, he wanted them to know it was his fault, not theirs. He wanted them to resent him.