AN: I don't own Steven Universe, Wish I did, but I don't. Any way, I'm back from the dead, please don't be too cruel if you choose to review, just now getting into the hang of things anyway enjoy.
Chapter one- Spring Cleaning.
Garnet smiled as she watched pearl and Steven clean out one of the many boxes that had been stored in the temple. He and Connie had watched some show on TV and now he insisted that they do some spring cleaning. Pearl of course jumped on the idea and had agreed to help him with whatever he had needed. Amethyst had said something about visiting Vadalia until they were done with the cleaning craze. Garnet had been assigned to dishes and general cleaning while he and pearl went through storage and the old knickknacks that littered the bowels of the temple. She tuned back to the sink to work on scrubbing some of the dishes that had been secretly rescued from Amethyst's room.
A frown crept to her face when she heard a gasp from behind her, something was off. She turned around to see Steven walking over to her, holding a dusty picture frame, and Pearl sitting at the box a hand over her mouth as tears leaked from her eyes.
"Garnet, who's this?" He asked, presenting the picture to her. She stared at the faded picture for a long moment, studying the dark haired girl who was holding up a peace sign a sparkling green gem in the center of her wrist. Garnets eyes lingered on her own image, hugging the girl from behind, her faded picture smiling from ear to ear, looking so happy. It almost felt like a mockery to the dread that had imminently overcome her when she saw the picture. Like the picture was teasing her almost.
Garnet opened her mouth, then snapped it closed. She repeated this action several times as she tried to come up with an answer or even take in a breath. She took the photo from Steven as a single tear slipped down her cheek. Then she was gone in a flash of light and Ruby ad Sapphire sat on the floor, sapphire holding the picture and staring ahead as treas crept down her face. Ruby was the one to speak first, her voice strained and quiet.
"Emerald, Her name was emerald" She whispered, moving to gather sapphire in her arms and quiet her partner.
Steven blinked in shock as he stared at the now separated fusion. He frowned and watched ruby set the photo to the side, looking like she might start crying as well while she consoled sapphire.
"Who was she?" He asked looking up when pearl stepped beside him. She bit her lip and leaned down to take the picture from the floor and moved to set it back in the box. She turned to look at Steven then a grim look on her face.
"Steven some things belong in the past and she is one-"
"No Pearl, its okay." Sapphire said and looked to Steven trying to compose herself. "Emerald, was a member of the Crystal Gems. And a close friend of ours. She was practically Garnets daughter, at least the Homeworld equivalent. We cared for her dearly, and she..." Sapphire trailed off, her voice cracking, before burying her face in ruby's shoulder. Steven bit his lip in understanding and looked to Pearl. She looked down at him and sighed.
"Steven, lets take a walk and then we can get back to cleaning, you two take a break as well." She said to the two on the floor. Ruby nodded and stood, picking Sapphire up with her and moving to the temple door. Steven didn't fight pearl as she led him out of the house and towards the boardwalk.