Chapter Eight

Once Steven was asleep, Garnet found herself at something of a loss.

She, Amethyst and Pearl had retreated into the Temple for some time, in order to provide Steven with the quiet he required. Underneath the bubbles of hundreds of corrupted Gems, they had the chance to begin filling Garnet in on the things she'd missed.

Even that conversation had petered out rather quickly.

Eventually Pearl and Amethyst had decided to return to the barn, to see how things were holding up there. They invited Garnet to join, but she'd declined. Her Future Vision had been of limited use— there were still so many new elements for her to incorporate— but she'd suspected that her presence would simply help matters.

Besides. The people are the barn were not, for the most part, her team. She didn't have a place among them. Not yet, at least.

But Garnet did have a friend of her own to visit.

Shortly after Amethyst and Pearl had warped away, Garnet too returned to the beach house. She checked briefly on Steven. Once satisfied that he was still sleeping soundly, she slipped silently out, and made her way towards the lighthouse.

She hesitated when she reached the door to the structure. After a moment, she opened it and called, "Bismuth!"

"Down here!" a warm, familiar voice called, and Garnet made her way down the spiral staircase to the basement. It was a small space, but warmly decorated with posters and art and metal working. There was TV set and an old mattress covered with blankets, where Bismuth was sitting. It all looked very... human.

"Cozy," said Garnet.

"I like it," Bismuth agreed,standing up. Then she strode across the room, put her hands on Garnet's shoulders, and pulled her into a hug. Garnet embraced her back.

"Sorry I didn't really greet you before," Bismuth said.

"You didn't know who I— we were," said Garnet.

"After that. After I remembered." Bismuth pulled out. "I had a lot to think about."

"I understand," said Garnet.

Bismuth offered Garnet a seat on the mattress, which Garnet accepted.

"So, what brings you by?" Bismuth asked, a touch awkwardly.

"To see you, of course," Garnet replied. "Like you said, we haven't really had a chance to just... talk, since you got your memories back. Though... hm."

Bismuth looked exactly as she always had. Her hair, her apron, her smile— things Garnet had long thought she'd never see again.

"What is it?" Bismuth asked, clasping Garnet on the back. "Come on, Power Couple. You can tell me."

Garnet smiled at the old, affectionate nickname. "It's just... For the longest time we thought you were... well, gone. And then I get out of stasis and- well, I wouldn't say you were the biggest surprise, but you were close."

Bismuth laughed. "Ha! What can I say? It takes a lot to bring me down."

Garnet chuckled along. "Yes, that's true. Like the time you and I were raiding that Spire."

A large grin spread across Bismuth's face. "Ah, yeah. I'll never forget that. The way you terrified that topaz."

"While you covered me from enemy fire. Literally covered me."

"Heh, I take my job seriously."

Behind her glasses, Garnet felt her eyes burn with tears. She let those visors fall away so that Bismuth could see them too.

"Aw, come on. None of that," said Bismuth. "I already got that from Pearl. Twice, courtesy of memory loss."

"Don't I get a turn?" Garnet said, a little strangled.

"I saw Ruby and Sapphire crying, even if I didn't 'ppreciate it," Bismuth pointed out.

Garnet raised her head high. "Well, it's Garnet's turn for a sappy reunion, not theirs."

Bismuth laughed.

"Seriously, though. Bismuth. I can hardly believe you're here. Steven said he found you in Lion's mane, but..."

"That part was true enough," Bismuth said, and now the humor was gone from her face. Garnet's brow furrowed with an unspoken question. "Rose put me there."

"But she told us you went missing."

"She lied." Now Bismuth laughed again, a sound like sandpaper. "Or I guess she didn't, technically. I did go missing. She was just the one behind it."

Garnet felt something dangerous sneaking up behind her. She clenched her fist, resisting the urge to form gauntlets, and made herself ask a question. " Why ?"

"We had a fight."

That wasn't enough, and Bismuth knew it. Garnet gave her a moment to continue.

"I made a weapon. The Breaking Point. It's at the Forge, if you want to see it. And you should. It's a real beaut. Cuts though gemstones like a knife through butter." Garnet felt very cold and very hot at the same time, which was never a good sign. "I thought we could use it to win the war. Rose Quartz disagreed. Violently."

Garnet shifted a little in her seat. Disagreeing with Rose wasn't unheard of. Garnet herself had done so multiple times during the Rebellion. But an agreement could always be reached, a compromise, an understanding.

But the disagreement to turn violent? That was... new.

As was the thought of Bismuth advocating shattering other Gems. She'd always been a bit unapologetic, but that seemed extreme, even by Bismuth's standards.

Garnet supposed she had to ask the obvious question.

"Do you still want to use this 'Breaking Point'?"

"I don't know what I want."

Garnet winced.

"I do think this: we were always too soft on our enemies. There are some Gems that just won't change, no matter what we tell em. Some Gems who if we keep alive, will just do everything in their power to hurt those under them."

Garnet didn't necessarily disagree, but... "You can't know which is which."

Bismuth snorted. "For some Gems, you'll know."

"So you do want to use it."

Bismuth stood, glaring. "You got a problem with that?"

Garnet didn't flinch. "Depends on how're you're gonna use it."

"Well," Bismuth said flatly. "I'll admit. I do have a certain Gem in mind. I never actually used the Breaking Point on a Gem proper. She could be the test run."

"You're not doing that," Garnet returned tensely. "We haven't decided what to do with Spinel yet."

"Then let me fix that."

Garnet stood up, doing her best to try and look calm and composed. "We'll decide as a group. For now... I think you should give me the Breaking Point."

Bismuth stared at her, long and hard, and Garnet something was about to happen that they would both regret.

Then Bismuth sagged. "Do you really think it's wrong? Shattering Gems?"

"I think," said Garnet, quietly, "that we have to be careful. That a choice like that can't be taken back. And that it can be hard to predict the repercussions."

(If only Rose had known, what shattering Pink Diamond would do. Would she have made the same choice? Garnet wasn't sure if Rose had ever been able to figure that out herself.)

Bismuth watched her.

"Fine," she said. "I'll give you the Breaking Point. For now. But a couple others things, first."

Garnet nodded at her to continue.

"We'll talk about this? With everyone? Let them know exactly what happened to me? What Rose did."

Another nod.

No more secrets. Complete honesty, from here-on-out.

"Okay. Good." Bismuth hesitated. "Now... tell me about Steven."

Garnet cocked her head. "You've lived with him for years. Surely there's nothing for me for me to tell."

"Not so sure about that," said Bismuth.

Ah. "You... you think he's Rose Quartz."

"What I think is we just spent five years being played with by a mind manipulator, and nobody knows which way is up. Don't know why Spinel would decide to make a Gem think they were a human kid, but I don't know why she decided to do any of the shit she did, so." Bismuth ran a hand through her dreads. "You're the only one here with a clear head. Tell me. What's the truth?"How's any of this possible? And if Rose really did... pass her gem along, why did she do it?"

Garnet couldn't help but chuckle a little at the question. "Because Rose wanted to."

"And that's it?"

"You know, as well as I do Bismuth, that Rose did what she wanted."

"Yeah, but usually she gave some kind of reason why," Bismuth crossed her arms over her chest. "She really didn't say?"

"Not... in so many ways," Garnet answered. "But things we've discovered or... just discerned ourselves has given some answers."

"And?"

"She thought Steven would be better then her," Garnet intoned.

Bismuth was quiet for several moments, before saying, "Well... if the last five years are any indication, she may have been right..." Bismuth shook her head. "And that is... I mean, he's not actually Rose?"

"Pearl, Amethyst, Greg and myself were there when he was born."

"Yeah, but those could be faked-"

"Spinel never affected me," Garnet cut in. "And I remember. Perfectly."

"But... what if she's lying? What if she's just pretending to be Steven or whatever, and she's still there?"

"You've known him for the past five years. Do you think he's Rose?"

"...No. I don't."

"Good." And now Garnet's eyes flashed, just as her visor rematerialized. "Because if you doubt it, if you try to hurt him —"

Bismuth chuckled, a little nervously, and threw up her hands. "Stars, alright, I get it. Calm down, your Ruby is showing."

"Oh, that was just as much Sapphire," said Garnet.

"Yeah. I know. Just pulling your leg." Bismuth sat back down on the mattress, which groaned under her weight. "All three of ya were always hopelessly overprotective."

Garnet waited a moment, then rejoined her on the mattress. She sat there, saying nothing.

"So. How're you holding up?"

Garnet shrugged. "Fine."

"Mmhmmm."

"Seriously. I'm doing... fine." Not great. But... "Steven's older, but he's safe. Everyone's safe. They're free of anyone's control. And you're here." Garnet laid her head on Bismuth's shoulder. "That's the one good thing I've discovered since coming back."

"Sap," Bismuth teased, pressing a kiss on the top of Garnet's head.

Garnet was silent for for a moment. "I missed you so much Bismuth. Everyone did, but... After you went missing, Ruby and Sapphire could barely hold together a fusion for days after."

Bismuth smirked cheekily. "Really? I broke up the Power Couple? That's impressive."

"Just for a few days. And only on off time." She smiled at her. "Don't get a big head."

"Still..." Bismuth trailed off, not finishing her thought.

They sat there for a while longer, Garnet resting against Bismuth's shoulder. Warm. Comforting. Familiar.

"I'm glad you're back, Bismuth. Even if the reason why you were gone is... not pleasant, I'm glad you're here."

"Yeah. Me too, Garnet. But there's still work to be done."

Garnet nodded.

"I guess you could say..."

Garnet groaned good naturedly. "Please, not this..."

"It's time to get down to Bismuth."