We Aren't the Crystal Gems Without You

An Impact as Deep as Hers

Everyone was a wreck. Anyone looking around at them could tell that deep devastation had hit them. However, no one other than them could understand the agony that one little pink gem had caused them. Everyone had traveled back to the temple, apart from Greg, Lapis, and Peridot. They stayed at the barn. The gem of Rose Quartz and Steven Universe rested in the hand of Garnet. The heel of her right hand was pressed against her forehead, while a tear was seeping out of her left eye. Her glasses had fallen to the ground.
Pearl was sobbing. She didn't know why. Perhaps it was because of Rose. She had to leave forever. She would never see her beloved Rose Quartz again! Or maybe it was because of the chance that she would never see her Steven again. Steven, the son of her leader, now gone. The son that she loved for Rose. Steven, the son that she loved as her own. Though she tried to hold them back, her tears were still pooling and her sobs were uncontrollable.
Pearl heard a small sound beside her. It was Amethyst, eyes big and concerned. Pearl never thought she would think this, but it pained her to see Amethyst quiet and sad, instead of her usual spunky self. Pearl found her to be very annoying at times, but that was far less painful than this.
"Pearl?" Amethyst whispered. "They'll be alright, won't they?" She was talking about Rose Quartz and Steven.
     "I don't know," Pearl admitted, "but I believe in them." She grasped Amethyst's hand, much to Amethyst's surprise. Amethyst took it and held it tightly. Pearl did the same on her end.
     "I- I'm so sorry, Pearl," Amethyst cried quietly. "Maybe I could have saved him that day. Then he would be here and Rose wouldn't be gone forever..."
     "Oh, Amethyst. Just think, if none of this had happened, we wouldn't have gotten to see Rose. I was elated to see her again. And her sacrifice for Steven was so heroic... I hope I have the chance to make an impact as deep as hers someday."
     "...You already have," Amethyst mumbled.
"What?" asked Pearl.
"You already have," Amethyst said, louder the second time.
Pearl squeezed Amethyst's hand tighter. "Thank you," she said, touched.
     Suddenly, there was a call coming from the direction of the screen door in the front of the house. "Hello? Is anyone home?"
     "Who is that?" asked Pearl.
     "It's Sadie!" exclaimed Amethyst.
     Connie was the first one to get to the door. Sadie stepped in once the door was opened and saw Connie and the three gems, or perhaps, the four gems. Garnet was still holding the pink stone. "He's not back?" she asked sadly.
     "Boy, have we got a story for you," Amethyst said.
So the gems and Connie took turns sharing how Rose Quartz had come back and sacrificed herself for Steven.
"Wait, Rose Quartz? Isn't that Steven's mom? The one from the video?"
     "Video?" the gems asked in unison.
     "Yes, Steven brought a tape to me a while ago, asking my to play it for him. He came with that pink lion of his... who knows where that came from? But yeah, we played it and it was her. She was beautiful. It was a video for Steven. She was talking to him about how she was going to become part of him, how he was going to be a human. It- it was amazing, what she did so he could live. And she was so excited for him. It made me think of how much I appreciate my own mother..."
     "I don't understand! That tape must've come from that lion's mane, but what on earth has she hidden as well from me?!" Pearl exclaimed. There had to be a reason Pearl hadn't known. Had Rose been... hiding something? Something more than just a lion? Something more than just a tape? Whatever the reason, Pearl was ready to find out.
"Sadie! We don't have all day!" a shout came from outside.
"Coming, Lars!" Sadie said, exasperated. "Sorry guys, I've gotta go." Sadie waved and rushed out the door.
The crystal gems then heard a noise coming from Steven's bedroom. Down the stairs walked Lion. Pearl approached and said, "Alright, you. Something's up with you, don't try to hide it. Please, you have to know something more. We need to know if you know anything to bring Steven back. Please?" Pearl ran her fingers through Lion's mane. Lion looked surprised, but he didn't move away. "Wait... what is this?" She gasped as Lion's mane began to glow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Steven? Steven!" Steven heard a faint voice calling his name. Steven sat upright, back stiff, ears alert, body tense.
"Mom? Is that you?" he called out, worry showing in his voice. She had been gone for a couple of days, with no trace of her in the gem. He was scared, terribly frightened of why she was gone and what was going to happen to him.
"Steven!" The voice got louder, though it was still very soft.
"Mom!" Steven cried out. Where was she?
"Take care of them for me, okay? I hope you understand why I have to do this. The gems will tell you everything you need to know. Just remember, I love you, Steven." It was Rose Quartz, but her voice was quickly dying.
"Where are you? What's happening?" shouted Steven, crying. "Come back, come back!" he exclaimed, tears running down his face. This wasn't what he wanted. What had his mother done for him exactly? Where had she gone? He knew one thing, he was never going to see her again. Somehow, he just knew. That broke his heart. What was he going to do? There was nowhere to go, no one to turn to. He sobbed on the floor of his gem, trembling. "M- mom... Pearl? Garnet. Amethyst! Connie, Dad... please help me."
He had never felt more alone.