Garnet and Amethyst walked between them, their shoulders hunched with guilt and relief. Guilt: they had not stopped Pearl from removing Steven's gem. Relief: Rose wasn't mad at them for being bystanders. Or at least, her anger was focused elsewhere for the moment, giving them that illusion. Pearl wasn't really sure which was true.
Rose's eyes were hidden by her curls as she let Greg lead her through the snow and into the quiet neighborhood. Pearl wondered if she was glancing back at her, and planning how to punish her for what she had done. It wouldn't be surprising if Rose had a plan to bubble her. Although she was the kindest gem Pearl had ever met, war had opened her mind to options that she wouldn't have otherwise considered, and peacetime had done nothing to erase them.
Maybe she'd be put into something useful, Pearl thought glumly. She could at least hope for that.
Greg stopped in front of a two story brick house. The door was painted a cheery red, and a 'no solicitors' sign was posted in the window. Garnet stopped by the edge of the driveway, and held out a hand to keep Pearl from going any further. Pearl opened her mouth to question her, then thought better of it. Her ideas hadn't exactly been the most correct as of late.
Greg asked Rose something about tears, and then the door opened. A middle aged brown skinned woman opened the door, dressed in a buttoned up collared shirt, her stomach extended with the burden of pregnancy.
"Steven…" Greg began, his voice fading in and out as the wind blew. "And I need...please."
The woman looked between him and Rose, then peered around them to look at Pearl, Garnet and Amethyst. She nodded and let them pass.
"You can come in too. It's too cold to be waiting in the snow." She called, as she turned to go inside. "The door's unlocked."
And then she disappeared inside with them.
The three of them stood outside, and didn't move or talk.
Garnet spoke first. "Talking to her isn't going to solve anything while she's this mad."
Pearl stared at the closed door. "Then what do I do?" She remembered how Rose had looked at her. Like she was a diamond, threatening the Earth once more. "She's not going to forgive me for this, is she?"
Garnet shook her head sadly. "Not in any of the futures I've seen."
Amethyst looked up at Pearl, then to Garnet. Her eyes changed from doe eyed confusion to fear as she finally understood. "Did we… hurt little- um, Steven?"
Garnet squatted down to her level and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's not your fault. I promise."
Amethyst nodded as the door unlocked. Rose walked out, bent over in an attempt to shield the bundle in her arms from the winter wind. She didn't falter in step until she reached the van. She slammed the door behind her and it was only then that she saw Greg.
His shoulders were hunched and he looked sickly, even with the horrid sunburn.
"Greggo, you cool man?" Amethyst said, breaking the tense silence.
He inhaled sharply. "I'm fine. But I think you should know: Steven has a month to live."
Pearl couldn't stop herself from asking. "Even with Rose's tears."
He didn't answer for a moment. His fists tightened almost imperceptibly. "Even with her tears." He looked up at Pearl and met her eyes with a steely gaze. "You took away an important part of his DNA. You took away a part of his biology. You can't heal what isn't there."
Finished with his explanation, greg trudged back to the van and drove away before they had a chance to board. A few moments later the pregnant woman walked back outside, bundled in a thick jacket and clutching a keychain in her gloved fist.
"Do you need a ride back?"
Pearl barely registered her question. She had killed Steven; a child, and inhabitant of earth, which she had vowed to protect with her life. She had betrayed her leader, her purpose.
Distantly she heard Garnet reply, "We would greatly appreciate it."
It dawned on Pearl. She had done something irreparable. She had sentenced a child to death.