Pearl sat on the beach with Amethyst that night just like they did every free night recently. It started to become a thing after the big fight with her and Garnet. While Pearl would never wish for them to fight again, the argument had brought Amethyst and her closer together. They had more in common then she had remembered.

They both felt weak. They both felt abandoned. And right now, with everything that was happening, they mostly felt scared.

At first they had been tentative with sharing their feelings, especially Amethyst, but when they realized that any day now could possibly be their last, they didn't want to be closed off anymore. They wanted to be there for one another and enjoy what time they had left before they were killed or worse, separated and not being able to be there for each other anymore.

Pearl quietly reached out and gently brushed her fingers against Amethyst's arm. She was quick to react and wrapped her arms around the slim gem. Pearl looked down at her friend, whose face was smashed up against lithe chest. It was obvious she had started to cry and Pearl couldn't help but join in for a moment before partially composing herself.

"I care so much about you, Amethyst," she softly whispered into the other's large and warm mass of hair.

With a large sniff, Amethyst tilted her head up, slightly, "M-me, too."

They smiled briefly and bittersweetly before pulling each other back in. Pearl then felt the warmth of Amethyst's gem against her. She looked down to see it's dim glow in the dark. This sort of thing had been happening the last few nights. Amethyst yearned to be 'complete' like Garnet was. She wanted that with Pearl, but Pearl had denied her an attempt. She was too nervous about what it would result in.

On the one hand, it could be amazing; it could be everything they wanted, but most likely it would end in failure and the beautiful experience they wished for wouldn't even come close to reality. Pearl didn't want to rush into this; she didn't want disappointment, but as Amethyst peered up at her with a hopeful expression, she suddenly felt as though waiting was much more painful. Pearl slowly started to pull the two of them up.

Their fusion dance was unlike any other they had ever preformed. It was slow and intimate. They held each other close and swayed ever so slowly with their gems glowing brightly in the darkness. The dance lasted no more than a minute as they both were eager. In a flash of light they connected and formed Opal.

She stood up tall as she gained her form. The feeling of happiness flowed through her and she had never felt more relieved. She smiled softly as she walked down to the water where she let the waves lap at her feet.

"This feels even better than I hoped it would," she murmured to herself.

"Opal?"

She spun around quickly to see that Garnet had caught her in this private moment and Opal instantly unfused at the stress and embarrassment that this caused.

Pearl was quick to defend the situation and tell Garnet what she thought she wanted to hear, "We, uh, saw something out there! We didn't know when you would be back. You can't be too careful. Right, Amethyst?"

"Uh, yeah," Amethyst agreed as she looked away, hiding her face.

Garnet walked over to them and placed a hand on each of their shoulders, "How many times have I told you two about lying?"

Pearl immediately jerked back in unconscious fear, but Garnet held her steady, "I'm not mad, Pearl. I just want to know what's going on."

There was a painfully nervous silence from Pearl, so Amethyst spoke up, "It was mostly my idea. I wanted to, well, uh."

She stopped and gave a side glance to Pearl.

Amethyst still didn't know exactly why they had fused. Yeah, it had been to make each other feel better, but there was something much deeper there and she knew Pearl felt it, too.

While the two scrambled for a response, Garnet knew all too well what was going on by now. She dropped her hands from their shoulders and stepped back.

"I understand, now."

Pearl swallowed harshly, "You do?"

She nodded, "I shouldn't have interrupted," she then turned to leave, "I'll go, now."

Amethyst and Pearl watched the gem leave before turning to look at each other. Their minds immediately snapped back to what they had just experienced moments before. The ecstasy of being fused with such…love. It hit them both so suddenly then. What they couldn't put their finger on was the overwhelming love they felt.

It was incredible to feel the love Ruby and Sapphire had for each other in a fusion with them, but what had just occurred with Opal was different. They weren't simply being pushed into some other couple's loving relationship, they now had their own. Their own pure, overwhelming love.

In her excitement, Amethyst grabbed Pearl around her thighs and lifted her up, giggling.

"Amethyst!"