"Knock knock."
A startled Greg dropped his book on parenting, which was long overdue. Garnet peered through the window of the van at him. He opened the door, surprised. She just looked... off. Was Garnet... upset? He invited her in.
"Howdy."
"Hey Garnet, what's up?" He asked her, tone cheery.
Garnet let out a shaky sigh. "There's something you need t-to know. We thought it would be best if I told you."
Nervous, Greg nodded. "Alright...?"
"It's about Rose's pregnancy, Greg. Do you think you can handle it?"
"Ah jeez, I don't like this already. Does she... like, she'll survive this and everything, right?"
Her visor disappeared in a flash of magic. "Greg... I'm so sorry. We felt it would be best if we let you know in advance instead of surprising you when it happened."
"When it happens... so we just... have two months? That's- that's it? H-how does gem birth work, why does she have to die for this?!"
"When her baby is born, only one gem exists to support one of them. Rose's form will disappear in order for the baby to inherit it." She traced the rim of one of her gems with her finger. "Without it, he or she wouldn't survive. As it stands, it's been using its mother's gem as a source of energy. They can't both exist at the same time."
Garnet placed a hand on the man's back as he unknowingly held his breath. Thoughts raced around in his head like a swarm of angry bees, all trying to sting him at the same exact time. No, they were wasps. They kept stinging and stinging his heart and brain. There was no end to this pain.
"And Greg... You can't let her know that you know. She didn't want to upset you... but Pearl and I knew it was wrong to hide it. As if... this news wasn't enough already, we... we knew y-you couldn't h-handle it..."
It felt as if these wasps were really bullet ants with wings, and they kept going and going and were killing him from the inside out and soon enough-
"G-garnet..." He managed to force out. The gem flicked a hand over her eyes, though the newly formed visor did nothing to stop the incoming flow of tears.
"I-I..." Her form flickered on and off. "I'm sorry. I thought I was ready t-to get this o-over with... Sapphi, you told me this wouldn't happen! Ruby, I-I didn't... No! This wasn't supposed to happen! What's wrong with me?" Garnet's counterparts argued inside the fusion. She kept glancing at one gem, then the other. Back and forth. It distracted Greg from his inner turmoil. He reached out to her as she began to sob.
"Garnet, y-you... you don't..." Greg's voice cracked. "You never cry. Just come here."
He had forgotten about the chaos in his head. Garnet didn't cry, much less start sobbing hysterically like this. Did Garnet even have emotion!? Either way, he wrapped his arms around her.
"Greg!" She raised her voice, probably unintentionally, he assumed. "I'm supposed to be here for you! I-I wasn't supposed to... This... it's... wrong! I can't unfuse! I have to stay together for- for her! F-for you! For e-everyone! Why can't I just... do that?"
"Garnet... I don't know. I'm not a fusion. I don't understand it. I just... know that I'm here if you need me. We need all the help we can get right now, both of us."
He simply supported the gem as her form glitched and shifted and she cried onto his shoulder. She drew deep, shaky breaths, and eventually managed to calm herself to the point where she could think and speak clearly.
"I apologize. I-I thought I was ready."
"Well, I appreciate you saying something, even though you weren't supposed to. Maybe you just need some time to yourself. You being Garnet, or just Ruby and Sapphire. This situation... kinda sucks."
"Yes..." She opened the door of the van. "Well, now you know. Thank you for... that."
Greg nodded as the distraction wore off. "I-I'll see ya later, I guess. Or Ruby and Sapphire. Whoever you are, just know that I'm here, okay?"
She didn't look back. Her fingernails dug into her arms. She gave a small affirmative noise before she walked away.
He pulled the doors shut, and his thoughts returned to him. Rose was going to die. She didn't even want him to know. Even Garnet was messed up about this. This just sucked.
Greg buried his face in his comforter and wept the wasps away.
