This couldn't be happening.

Steven was really right here with her right? He…he would appear any minute back and safe. Or…or she'd wake up and it would all be a really scary dream! That was it! Except…Connie felt more awake in that moment than she ever had in her life. She knew this horribly nightmare of a reality wasn't a dream.

She had failed to protect him. He was her partner, her best friend, he was half of the fusion, the person, they had created. She was his knight, his main confident, and together they were everything. Now though, he was gone. She had vowed to protect him but when the time came here she was. Standing. Watching him fly away to die a martyr for a war, for actions made thousands of years before, that he had little to do with.

He couldn't be gone. She couldn't believe it.

Connie was vaguely aware of someone, presumably Garnet, dragging her back to shore and she'd hardly understood what was happening before she was being hugged. Pearl held her tightly, and Connie clung back just as hard. Student and teacher, parent and friend, were both reduced to sobs as they tried to push away this horrid reality.

They had to get him back. They had to rescue him. They had to. Right now though, all they could do was cry and fight their endless stress and fatigue.

"I…I didn't…" Connie could hardly speak. "I..I couldn't…..I'm sorry!"

Pearl shook her head. "Don't….it's not your fault Connie."

Not her fault. How was any of this not her fault? If they had just fused, or if she had fought harder, or waited on the ship and made him come with them. There had to have been something but…

"Steven wouldn't want this…"

Connie crumpled then. She couldn't take this. She couldn't face it. She was just a kid! Steven was just a kid! This was the cruelest thing she'd ever witnessed. No child should ever have to sacrifice their life for the sins of their parents. That wasn't fair, it just wasn't!

What would they tell Greg? What about Peridot and Lapis? How would they all manage? What if the Diamonds attacked Earth anyway?

So many fears and questions and concerns flooded through her and for once she had no answers. Everything rational in her brain was currently blank. She was tired. Her nerves were shot. She still had to face her parents and then she and the crystal gems would have to plan a rescue, that is, if they could find their way into space.

"Hey…Connie…look at me…please…"

Looking up then, she saw Pearl smiling down at her. She still had tears in her eyes, and her voice wavered, but she was smiling. Why was she smiling?

"Wh..what is it?" Connie managed to ask.

"I…I don't know what's going to happen…but I know two things…Steven will be alright somehow..a…and that I am so proud of you." Pearl said softly, her voice cracked as she held her hand down to help Connie up.

Smiling a bit then, although she knew Pearl was sort of lying, she pulled herself up and hugged her again. "Y..you've always been there for me and Steven." She said softly. "Thank you."

And with that, they both took a deep breath and resolved themselves to face whatever was coming. They'd do it for Steven, and when they were somehow safe again, this would all be but a distant memory and a few bad dreams.