disclaimer: I dont own Steven Universe
The attack happened without them noticing. Steven was having a sleepover at the city, with Connie. The fight was brutal. No one could not imagine what was about to happen or how they should react… No one imagined they would eventually win, but at what cost? First, Malachite had escaped from Lapis ´s control and went all berserker, out of control on Beach City. Luckily, no one had died because the Crystal Gems were faster as usual and the city was happy to have these protectors acting so fast to take good care of them.
Malachite was bubbled, and Steven´s sadness broke his mother figure´s hearts. Everyone knew the boy had the biggest heart ever, maybe even bigger than Rose´s and he was so devastated when he couldn't save his blue friend. But Garnet assured him Lapis was beyond saving… Maybe one day, when Malachite wasn't strong enough to keep herself together.
Then they would to deal with a furious Jasper... But that would be in a distant future... Garnet´s future vision was helpful like that. They wouldn't have to deal with that now. The main issue was deal with Yellow Diamond and her army.
No one could predict what happened.
No one could see what happened.
Until it happened.
Amethyst was the first to fall. Her gem was protect from shattering by Peridot, who was able to get her to safety minutes before suffering damage enough to be sent back to her gem too. Pearl and Garnet worked together to protect their teammates from ultimate destruction. But the Yellow Army was incredibly strong. They couldn´t keep up the battle just themselves.
And they had to protect Steven.
Protect Rose´s son was their priority since they lost Rose. He was still learning how to be a Crystal Gem, he was way too young to be a soldier in this war…
Greg forbade Steven to go back to the city and fight along his friends. And the boy hated him for that. The cruel feeling he had inside his heart was painful, hard to understand. But he knew his father didn't understand what really meant to be a Crystal Gem. That he needed to fight too. To be there for them.
To be what they expected him to be, to have. Rose´s bravery, Rose´s strength.
But Steven was just a 14-year-old hybrid who was just getting started to learn to fight. And the gems knew that. Greg knew that.
Steven knew that…
They were able to prevent the Yellow Army from invading the Earth again, with a lot of luck, some brilliant strategy and a sacrifice. When Steven got back to Beach City, to the temple, he saw his friends gathering around a small red gem. Garnet was gone; Ruby was in her place, in her hands, gems shards were resting.
Blue shards.
During the battle, Garnet fell, protecting the planet she learned to love. Where she could be herself, where she could the living embodiment of the perfect relationship.
Of pure love.
When Garnet fell, Ruby and Sapphire went back to their gems, to recover. The last time that had happened was during the first fight with Jasper. But they were able to recover.
No one could see what would happen.
No one could prevent what would happen.
Not even Sapphire. She saw her demise, but it was just one of the possible paths in her life. She saw her death every day, why this time would be different? She wasn't a soldier, but being fused with Ruby for five thousand years made her so strong. So confident
Made her Garnet.
No one could believe Garnet was gone.
No one could believe Ruby was alone.
Steven couldn't say anything. He was heartbroken knowing his mother figure was gone forever. He wouldn't ever see her again, hear her voice, feel the love she had for him. Or he wouldn't ever see Sapphire again. He barely knew her, but he loved her deeply.
Of course he loved her, Steven loved everybody.
Pearl had Amethyst and Peridot in her hands, she didn't knew what to say to one of her oldest friends. She realized she barely knew Ruby, she barely knew that red small gem, who was a strong passionate soldier, but almost a strange to their little group. She saw Ruby gather every blue shard she was able to find in silence, and didn't say anything when she left the beach and went back to the temple.
Steven, Greg, Connie and Pearl didn't knew what to do. Ruby was quietly whispering sweet nothings to the shards in her big hands. In the middle of the living room, cause she didn't knew how to get to her room. Did she had a room?
'Ruby?'
'Pearl… I need you to do something for me…'
No one could see that coming. How they would fight against the evil Yellow Army when they decided to attack again? Maybe it was better for them to just quit, to give up. To betray everything Rose Quartz had lived for and what she sacrificed herself for.
They were at war. They knew causalities would fall upon them. They knew this could happen.
Pearl didn't feel guilty for what she did. Steven didn't blamed her. Amethyst was angry for a while, Peridot was still confused with the fast pace her live in Earth had.
But they knew Ruby couldn't exist without Sapphire.
The fight had left Ruby with a small crack in her gem. Easily fixed, but how she could survive without her half, her better half? How she could survive knowing Sapphire didn't existed anymore?
How she could keep living if she was dead inside?
'Pearl, I need you to shatter me.'
'No.'
'Garnet isn't here anymore. She ain´t come back. I can´t be Garnet. Not without her. I don't even know how to be myself anymore. So please. Let me go…'
Pearl bubbled together the red and blue shards. Cause they deserved to be together in death...