The low crack may as well have been an explosion to Sapphire's ears. The Crystal Gems were fighting a particularly large corrupted gem in a forest clearing. The gem had managed to separate Ruby and Sapphire with a precise strike sending the two to different ends of the clearing. The gems continued to fight the enraged beast and the two hadn't been able to reach each other. Sapphire had seen it in slow motion, Pearl gracefully back flipped away from a clawed paw; the impact making a crater in the ground where she had once been. Ruby leapt forward, going for the gem on the beast's forehead, her gauntlet out and ready to strike. The beast turned at the last moment, taking the small Ruby in it's large paw and ramming her into the unforgiving ground. Multiple sounds rang out at the same time but Sapphire only heard two, Ruby cry out in pain and the crack of a gem. Sapphire stood there frozen as she watched the scene in front of her as if it were miles away. Amethyst and Steven had fused and Smokey Quartz used the distraction to leap over the corrupt gem from behind and effectively poof the beast with her yoyo shields. Sapphire heard a groan from the latest crater and she was immediately pulled out of her shock, her whole being flooding with ice cold fear. The grass around her instantly froze, making a glistening ice trail behind her as she ran with accelerated speed to the crater she knew her beloved was in. Upon coming to the edge Sapphire saw Pearl crouching beside Ruby, he arms half outstretched, not really knowing what to do. Ruby was on her hands and knees, he face hidden from all. Sapphire gasped as she saw her love's form flicker. Sapphire jumped down and rather uncharacteristically stumbled to Ruby's side.
"Ruby!" Sapphire grabbed the gem under her arms and manhandled her to a sitting position. Ruby had her eyes screwed shut and her face distorted into one of pain. A fresh stab of cold went through Sapphire and she only half noticed ice form around her and Pearl stumble back. Ruby's eyes opened and her pained expression instantly fell, replaced with a forced unfazed one. "Hey Saph, ice to see you." Normally a ridiculous pun like that would have made Sapphire laugh and playfully push the red gem away but all it did was make her more worried. This was what Ruby did when she knew she was hurt and didn't want Sapphire, or anyone else to notice, she played it off as everything being fine and dandy.
"Let me look at your gem." Sapphire demanded, she never used such a tone to her beloved unless she was being utterly serious, and Ruby knew it, but to Sapphire's annoyance Ruby just stood up and waved her away, "I'm fine." She then proceeded to climb out of the crater, Amethyst and Steven tried to help by Ruby gave them a smile that only Sapphire could see the underlying pain in and again said she was fine. "Well, that went well, who's up for pizza?" Ruby said once she had reached ground level. Amethyst and Steven whooped and ran towards the warp pad, Ruby not far behind them. "Sapphire." Pearl said, she was hugging herself, clearly concerned for to two small gems. "She's hurt, I know it, I heard it." Sapphire said, her voice strained, even to her own ears. She hated when Ruby got like this, despite what she thought, pretending she was fine did not make Sapphire feel any better.
"I heard it too, we need to get her to Rose's fountain, or at least see if Steven can heal her." Pearl said, the two had begun to make their way to the warp pad. Sapphire sighed, "You know as well as I do, she'll deny that she's hurt to try and spare everyone until it gets so bad she nearly shatters."
"Like last time." Pearl said thoughtfully. Sapphire shivered, she did not want to think about that horrible day, she had nearly erased it from her memory.
"Please don't remind me." Sapphire's voice was barely over a whisper and the reminder had he nearly running to the warp pad where the other three had already disappeared back home.
Sapphire and Pearl were engulfed in light as the warp pad activated. The scene that greeted them when the light disappeared had Sapphire's heart leaping in absolute horror. Ruby was on her knees in the centre of the room, he gemmed hand clutched to her chest and her physical form flickering so much it was nearly non-existent. Steven was hovering, trying to convince Ruby to let him heal her, but Ruby didn't seem to be to hear him and Steven was never one to force something. Amethyst was running in panicked circles asking the air what they should do. Sapphire was a blur getting to Ruby's side. She hugged what was left of the flickering form, a tear leaking from her big blue eye as fear once again dragged her to the icy depths. "Ruby can you hear me, please, let Steven see your gem." Sapphire gently grabbled Ruby's left hand and as delicately as possible guided it towards Steven, knowing that too much force would do more damage. When the red gem was revealed all person's gasped and Sapphire choked on a sob, it was worse than they thought. There was a deep crack running almost the length of the gem with smaller cracks snaking off from it. It was so close to being completely shattered. Steven licked his hand and gently placed the healing saliva onto the red gem. Nearly at the same time light engulphed Ruby and the flickering form retreated into her gem. Sapphire only sobbed as they all waited, watching and hoping for the gem to start healing. Seconds ticked by and the vice grip around Sapphires heart grew tighter. What if it didn't work? What if they were too late? What if she was go… NO! Sapphire refused to believe she could lose her beloved. Just as the loose of hope was beginning to show on everyone's faces the cracks began to close. A collective sigh of utter relief rang through the beach house. Sapphire nearly fell to the floor in relief. Her Ruby would be ok, she was strong, she would be regenerated and back to her in no time.
The hope was beginning the fade and concern replace it as days went by. Sapphire never let go of the red gem, taking her beloved wherever she went, not that she deviated much from her room and the beach house, in fact she never did. If there was a mission Pearl, Amethyst and Steven would volunteer to go without her, knowing the turmoil the little blue gem was going through. If anything, the missions without Garnet and her future vision were doing wonders for their teamwork and overall compatibility.
Sapphire was at the kitchen counter, Ruby on a little pillow that Steven graciously provided (the one he used for Pearl, Sapphire noticed) in front of her. She watched Steven make himself lunch, he would occasionally look over to the small red gem. Sapphire knew that even though he loved her and Ruby, he was much more used to Garnet and she knew he missed her. Sapphire didn't mind, after all Garnet was the perfect balance of herself and Ruby so to her missing Garnet was no different to missing the two individuals that made her up.
"How long is she going to take?" Steven asked as he spread peanut butter on two pieces of bread. Sapphire took a moment to realise he was talking to her, she sighed, "I don't know, she never usually takes this long, but there was a lot of damage-" Sapphire choked on the last few words, "but it shouldn't take too much longer, it's already been five days… and three hours." Sapphire blushed a little bit, not that she was counting. Steven gave her a gentle smile. Just then the red gem between them started to glow and rise from the pillow. Within seconds the form of a familiar red gem came into existence. Ruby landed on the kitchen counter her thick legs stretched out in front of her and her hands braced on the counter in between them, giving her a rather innocent look as she looked around dazed. That was until a blue blur tackled her, sending the too toppling off the counter and to the ground. Sapphire felt beautiful strong hands wrap around her as they landed, rather unceremoniously on the ground. She buried her face in her beloved's warm shoulder and started sobbing. Large hands rubbed her back. Sapphire felt whole again, the heavy stones in her stomach that had weighed her down for the entire five days, making her feel constantly sick to the stomach suddenly lifted and she felt light as a feather as she clung to her red gem. Neither talked, they just held each other.
Sapphire didn't know how long it had been before she remembered the poor little boy that was forced to watch the entire scene. Sapphire reluctantly pulled away from Ruby and looked over to Steven only to smile at him. He was holding his cheeks, making himself look even more chubby and he had stars in his eyes that were complimented by a giddy little smile. He squealed in delight, either at the fact that Ruby was back for the emotional scene he had just witnessed. "Hey buddy." Ruby said. Sapphire's heart leapt with glee at hearing the precious voice. Sapphire looked into Ruby's deep red eyes and melted, "I'm sorry," Ruby said as she cupped Sapphire's face, "I promise I won't do it again, I just hate to see you worry." Thick red fingers whipped away tears above Sapphire's full upper lip. Sapphire sobbed and kissed Ruby on the cheek's and nose, "Good." Was all she could get out before bringing Ruby into another tight hug, but it wasn't enough, Sapphire yearned to be closer. Light surrounded them and in seconds two became one and Sapphire was home and whole again. An excited gasp of "Garnet." Rang out and a weight crashed into their arms as Steven greeted the fusion. Sapphire let Ruby take over a little more as she basked in the presence of her beloved.