After seeing Amethyst and Pearl sort out their differences at the Kindergarten, Steven had thought that they would start to get along better. Naively he had expected them to suddenly become best buds. He was disappointed when this didn't happen. Sure, they seemed to be fighting less frequently, but when they did fight it seemed even worse than before.

"Amethyst, would you please stop watching television and do something even a little bit productive?" Pearl stood in front of the television, arms folded, positioning most of her weight onto one hip."

"Like what?" Amethyst tried to peer around Pearl, barely paying her any attention.

Pearl gritted her teeth, but attempted to stay calm. "You could maybe try educating yourself. You could read a book."

Amethyst chuckled. "Good one, P."

"That was not a joke. I mean it. You are spending too much time watching that" She waved her arms around as she searched for the correct word. "Thing." she blurted out, unable to think of a suitable description. "Turn it off. Now!"

Amethyst just stared at Pearl, not understanding where her outburst had come from. Eventually she scuttled backwards, away from the television. "Uh, okay then. I'll just be, uhm." She pointed towards the kitchen and started to move away.

"Oh," Pearl grimaced and placed a hand over her face, realising she had yet again gone about things in the wrong way. She hadn't meant to antagonise Amethyst, or scare her. She was genuinely concerned that Amethyst would cause herself harm stuck in front of that box all of the time. It had all came out wrong though. Again. "Amethyst, I didn't mean," She paused, trying to think about what she wanted to say before the words escaped her mouth. "I just wanted to -"

She was cut off when a pantless Steven bowled into the room. "Guys, guys" He shouted, frantically. "I lost my pants again. I think you two should form Opal and help me find them."

Pearl scowled at Steven. Amethyst started at him for a moment, her mouth slightly open, before bursting into laughter. "Oh, Ste-man, you're a riot." She clutched at her stomach as the laughter continued to pour out of her.

Pearl, however, was less amused. "Oh for goodness sake." She muttered. "Amethyst, don't encourage this kind of behaviour. Steven, Amethyst and I will not be forming Opal to solve your completely fabricated situation. Gems only fuse in deadly situations. Return to your room this instant and put your pants back on."

"You're such a buzzkill, P. If the little man wants to see Opal that bad, maybe we should just do it."

"No. You know we can't. We only form Opal when it is absolutely necessary."

"That's bull, and you know it. There was a time when we used to form Opal nearly every day. Just say it, P. You hate me."

"That's ridiculous. I thought we had put all of this nonsense behind us."

"So how I feel is nonsense, is it?" Amethyst growled at Pearl, unable to keep her anger out of her voice.

"I never said that."

"You didn't need to. Come on Steven. Let's go find your pants. We're obviously not wanted here." She placed an arm around Steven's shoulder and led him up to his room as she glared at Pearl.

Pearl, about to say something, drew in a breath but let it out again, sounding defeated. It was useless. She would only dig herself a deeper hole. It was the worst feeling. All she ever wanted to was be there for Amethyst. To always say the right thing. It just seemed, though, that no matter how good her intentions, Pearl only ever seemed to hurt Amethyst. She knew that the best thing she could do for Amethyst was to just keep away from her, but she was too selfish for that. The idea of not having Amethyst close by was just too painful.

The altercation left Pearl needing something to put her mind to. She reached into her Gem and pulled out a can of polish and a rag cloth. Amethyst always laughed at her for carrying such things, but Pearl liked to be prepared for anything. 'One never knew when one might come across a particularly dirty door handle that would absolutely have to be cleaned before the room the door protected could possibly be entered.' It had been a rubbish example, and had only amused Amethyst further. A small smile played on Pearl's lips as she remembered. That had been in better times, when Pearl was more tolerant of Amethyst. She had even laughed a little herself. Pearl sighed softly, wishing she could be more relaxed about things now. It seemed like the more she tried to relax the harder it got.

Pearl scanned the room, looking for something to clean. "Aha." She said as her eyes fell upon a smudge on the television screen, probably caused by Amethyst or Steven getting to close to it whilst engrossed in some ridiculous programme. She took the rag, squirted some polish onto it, and began to methodically wipe up and down, careful not to leave any streaks.

She lost track of how long she had been polishing for, but she was brought back down to Earth by Amethyst's husky voice, which made her jump a foot in the air. "Hello? Earth to Pearl? Could you maybe stop? You're going to wear a hole in that, and then what I would do with my life? Since clearly I don't ever do anything but watch it."

"Amethyst." Pearl said gently. "I know I may have been a little forceful earlier, but it wasn't my intention. I was just worried. I don't think that the watching of television is good for one's health."

"Oh yeah? And Perfect Pearl would never dream of vegging out and watching television, because she's always out on some mission, being productive." Amethyst began to mimic Pearl. "Oh, yes Garnet. You're so wonderful, Garnet. Of course I'll go and collect that thing you don't really need just to get in your good books. You think I should take Amethyst with me? Oh, please. She'd only get in the way."

Pearl's head dropped, as she realised that none of what Pearl was saying was untrue. There had been times when she had questioned Garnet's instructions when they involved going anywhere with Amethyst. But it wasn't for the reason that Amethyst thought. It wasn't because she hated her. If anything, it was the complete opposite. Unfortunately, Pearl didn't know how to say it. She lifted her head and looked Amethyst directly in her eye's. "Amethyst, stop that nonsense at once. Can we go somewhere to talk? Properly, I mean."

"Nah. I'm not feeling it." Amethyst said, flicking the television on. "I'm comfy right where I am."

"Please?"

Something in Pearl's voice made Amethyst look up at her. She wasn't demanding, and sounded almost desperate as she spoke in barely more than a whisper. Amethyst sighed. "Well, fine. If it'll get you to shut up."

"We can't go on like this. I can't go on like this."

"I said fine."

Pearl reached out to take Amethyst's hand, but quickly put her arm back down when Amethyst made no effort to take it. "Come on then." Pearl said, gesturing to the Temple door.

"Pearl, this nice 'n all, but why are we in the fighting arena?" Amethyst looked around, nervously.

"It became clear to me that all you wish to do is fight with me. So go on." Pearl splayed her arms out, leaving every inch of her body vulnerable. "Hit me. Get it out of your system."

"P, I don't wanna hurt you. Have you finally gone and lost it?"

"It? What is it? I haven't lost anything." Pearl snapped. "Just do it. It's not like I don't deserve it. All I ever seem to do is hurt you. Now it's your turn."

Amethyst shrugged. "Fine, if you want it that bad." Amethyst reached into her Gem, and pulled out her whip. She flicked it back, and then brought her arm back down, sending the whip in Pearl's direction.

Pearl flinched, but the whip landed an inch away from her. She only felt the air move as it shaved past her skin, and heard it crack as it landed on the ground. "You missed on purpose."

"Well, duh. I don't want to hurt you."

"When did we get like this? When did we stop understanding each other?" Tears began to run out of Pearl's eyes and down her cheeks. "When did we stop loving each other?"

"When you started to hate me, whenever that was."

"Would you stop saying that? I don't hate you."

"Then why won't you form Opal?" Amethyst screamed at Pearl.

Pearl began to blush. "I don't want to … it's embarrassing, really."

"P, how do you things can get better between us if you won't even talk to me? That's why I start stuff with you most of the time. Fighting is better than not talking at all."

"Fine." Pearl huffed. "I don't want to form Opal, because when I, that is to say we, are Opal, you help me to forget. I can relax, just for a while. All of these things that I absolutely must do otherwise the world will crash down around me, such as arranging my swords or alphabetising Steven's DVD collection, I can just forget about. But then, inevitably we must unfuse and all of that comes crashing down upon me, and it's like an overload. For a while, I don't know how to cope. For me, becoming Opal is an escape. The reason I stopped was because once we become Opal, I don't much feel like being me again." Before Pearl had finished speaking, Amethyst had crashed into her, and wrapped her arms around her tightly. Pearl placed her arms around Amethyst. "I'm sorry I never told you that before."

"If I had known, I would never have gotten you to form Opal so much."

"You still don't understand. I loved forming Opal. I wanted to be her as much as you did. I still do. Every time you ask, a part of me is screaming at me to say 'yes, do it.'. Another part of me, the logical that always seems to win, asks me if it's worth the pain when we become two again."

"I'm sorry I've been such a royal pain the the butt, P. It's just you always seemed to be pushing me away, and that hurt, ya know?"

"Amethyst, do you think that we could let go of each other?"

"Oh. Sure." Amethyst sounded embarrassed, as she released Pearl from her tight grip. "Sorry."

"It's fine. However, I was beginning to feel like, well, becoming a giant woman. I'm not sure I'm ready for it yet."

"When you are, let me know. No dancing though. You dance like a nerd."

"Hey" Pearl said reproachfully, and pushed at Amethyst's shoulder, although her smile and the twinkle in her eyes told Amethyst she was only playing. "You dance like a female escort."

"Oh, you did not just say that."

Pearl backed away from Amethyst, her hands held up in front of her. "Hey now, I was only joking. This isn't necessary. Amethyst, don't you dare." Pearl's eyes widened, full of fear as Amethyst approached, her hands curled into claws ready to start the tickle attack that Pearl had always feared back in the days that they had been friends, but hadn't had to endure for many years. Being at logger heads had had its perks. " Please. I take it back. You dance like a goddess."

"Oh, I dare." Amethyst jumped, plowing into Pearl and forcing her to the ground.

Pearl screeched as Amethyst dug her stubby fingers into her sides, then fell into a fit of giggles. "Amethyst, stop that." she managed to choke out, whilst trying to push Amethyst's arms away.

"Nope." Amethyst replied, with a menacing grin. However, knowing how much Pearl hated the lack of control she had, she did stop after only a few seconds more. She held a hand out to Pearl, which Pearl took hold of to give herself leverage to pull herself up.

"How many times have I told you not to do that?" Pearl said, though she was unable to inject any anger into her voice. As much as she disliked it, she had always found a little tickling fun. She didn't laugh often, and sometimes the release was nice.

"How many times have I told you not to move stuff in my room."

"Oh" Pearl mumbled something that sounded like an expletive. "Touche. And thank you."

"For what? Tickling you?"

"No, you imbecile." Pearl spoke softly, their being no malice in the word so often used as an insult. "I meant thank you for understanding. For not hating me. Oh. You knew that, didn't you?"

Amethyst nodded. "Yep."

"Were you always so annoying?" Pearl narrowed her eyes.

Amethyst thought for a moment before nodding again.