A special thanks to Domination of the World for noticing the references I made! And Lady of the Sky for those lovely reviews! I like seeing people analyze my fics in reviews that way. :)

This chapter was inspired by "Summertime Sadness" by Lana Del Ray. Ironic considering it's winter in this chapter. LOL.

~O~

Chapter Eight: Miracles Happen

It was snowing.

Steven awoke with a happy yell. "It's Christmas!"

He quickly threw the covers of his bed aside and noticed Lion still resting near Jasper's Gem. Steven's smile disappeared and he walked over to him. He gave Lion's head a little pet and the enormous cat purred softly.

"She still hasn't come out?" he asked.

Lion's ear gave a little twitch and he yawned. Steven sighed, staring down at Jasper's Gem with concern. She hadn't emerged in a while and he was worried that something was wrong.

Just then, Garnet appeared, wearing a Christmas sweater with a tiny tree printed on it. "Merry Christmas, Steven!" she announced, carrying a cup of hot chocolate in her hand. "I have brought breakfast coco and tree-shaped pancakes are on the table."

Steven smiled up at her. "Really? Thanks, Garnet!"

Garnet looked beyond Steven to Jasper's Gem. "She hasn't reformed yet, I see."

"Do you think something's wrong?" Steven looked as well. "I mean, I've never seen it take so long before."

"You must understand..." Garnet explained. "Jasper is also corrupted. It could take some time for her to find herself again. And she saved you, regardless of what her intentions truly were. It most likely took its toll on her."

Steven sighed sadly. "Yeah..."

"It's Christmas, Steven." Garnet reminded him. "Go downstairs. Open presents and have breakfast. I'll stay and watch out for her."

Steven smiled. "Okay."

He quickly raced downstairs and Garnet took a seat beside Lion. She gave him a little scratch behind his ears, earning a purr from him.

"So, what do you think?" she asked.

Lion looked down at Jasper's Gem and gave it a light tap with his nose. Garnet nodded.

"Alright."

O

Steven excitedly raced outside in his pajamas while Pearl chased after him, yelling that he needed to bundle up. He quickly called Connie on his cell phone while Pearl chased him around the beach.

"Merry Christmas, Connie!" he announced, when she answered.

Connie had gotten herself entangled in the phone cord while her parents struggled to wake up with coffee and breakfast.

"Why can't you get up this early for school?"

Steven laughed as he heard Connie's father mumble in the background. He was being picked up by Pearl, who tucked him under her arm as if he weighed nothing.

"Did you want to come over later?" he asked.

"Sure!" Connie said. She paused for a moment. "Is Jasper...?"

Steven sighed sadly. "Still hasn't reformed yet."

"Oh..." Connie sounded disappointed.

Later that morning, Garnet observed Jasper's Gem. She continued to do so with Lion by her side. The music box played the constant, soothing melody.

She made a surprised sound when Jasper's Gem began to glow. Backing away a little, she watched as it began to form. Jagged spikes appearing, then disappearing. It seemed like Jasper was struggling to reshape for a few moments.

Lion raised his haunches, tensing at the prospect of a fight. Garnet prepared her gauntlets all the same. Jasper was in new territory and though she respected Steven's decision, she had to be ready for anything.

It took a few moments before Jasper reformed, lying on the floor with a deep groan. Her left hand was splotchy with green and pink, but most of her had been free of corruption. She looked almost the same as she had before her change, besides that single element.

Jasper's eyes widened and she looked around, confusion on her face. "Where am I?" she asked. "What's going on?"

"Jasper, you're safe. No one's going to hurt you." Garnet assured her. "But we will if we have to."

Jasper looked down, noticing the gauntlets. She looked toward Lion; the creature's claws were extended and a soft growl rose up in his throat.

"Where is Rose?" Jasper finally asked.

"STEVEN is outside. Playing in the snow." Garnet told her.

Jasper looked confused. "WHAT? In the snow? Why?"

"Come and see."

Jasper was going to rebuke her for thinking she could give HER an order, but instead, Lion bumped into her side. Jasper scowled down at the animal. Lion gave her the most ridiculous stare that made her roll her eyes and push him aside.

"You're not worth my time, stupid animal." she snapped.

Lion followed her anyway.

Jasper and Garnet stepped outside. Steven was chasing Connie with an enormous ball of snow in his arms, both properly bundled up for the weather. They were laughing happily. Peridot and Pearl were working on building a snow castle. Amethyst had shapeshifted into a dragon and stomped it to the ground.

"Amethyst!" Peridot and Pearl yelled at the same time.

Then, they sensed Jasper's eyes on them and stopped everything they were doing. Steven had fallen in a pile of snow with a grunt.

"Jasper!" he exclaimed. "You're out!"

Jasper furrowed her brow. "What are you DOING?" she snapped.

"Um, we're playing?" Steven tried.

Jasper was confused. Why were warriors of a Rebel army playing in frozen weather like fools? It frustrated her that these were the very soldiers who had defeated armies of Homeworld Gems.

Acting like idiots.

She gave a cold snort and wandered back into the house.

O

Surprisingly, the house looked together in one piece.

Steven walked back inside, looking around for Jasper. "Jasper?" he called. "Jasper, are you still in here?"

He wandered down the hallway and stopped when he saw a pile of blankets, shelves set up and various other objects moved together to form what he could only guess was a fort. He had made them a lot when he was little.

"Jasper, are you in there?" he asked.

A long moment of silence.

"No." Jasper answered, from behind the veil of objects.

Steven sighed, staring upwards before he pulled the blankets back a bit. He found Jasper sitting there, clutching the music box in her thick arms. She scowled at him and yanked the blankets shut again. Steven stood there, tilting his head sympathetically.

A few moments passed and the music box started back up.

Steven gave a sigh and decided to give her space. He wandered back outside where the other Gems were. They had been talking and even Lapis had returned from her flight. She had a wrapped parcel in her hand and offered it to Steven.

"I'm sorry I missed Christmas morning." she told him.

"It's okay." Steven said, taking the offering.

Lapis dared a glance up toward the temple. "Is she...in there?"

"Yeah."

"Then I should probably stay at the barn."

"Lapis..."

Lapis turned and simply produced her watery wings before flying away. Amethyst sighed, making a face. "Maybe I should talk to Jasper."

Pearl shook her head. "That went so well the last time..." She exhaled and looked down at Steven. "Let me try."

The others looked shocked by her words. "WHAT?" they exclaimed.

That afternoon, Pearl approached Jasper's makeshift tent and sat down in front of it. She could make out the noise of the music box.

"Jasper." she said.

The music stopped.

"Listen, we saw what happened." she continued, "We know you were there when she was..." She trailed off, unsure if telling Jasper about Pink Diamond's court was the best idea. But she was the voice of reason and talking seemed to work before. If not a little.

More silence.

Then, a snort from Jasper. "I don't need pity. Especially from a slave!"

Pearl scowled at the blanket fort for a moment. She clenched her fists and resisted the urge to tear it down and show Jasper just how much of a 'slave' she was. It edged at her self-worth as it always did. Jasper knew how to push the right buttons.

Instead, she remembered how Rose would handle things like this. She knew Rose was better at it.

Still, Pearl didn't like the thought of Jasper being left in such a state. It was too familiar to her.

"I am more than a slave." she said, firmly. "And you know you're more than just a mindless foot soldier. I became more than what I was made for. You can do the same."

A mocking laugh responded to her. Though it sounded more bored than anything else.

Pearl recognized the way the tent and structure had been built around Jasper. It functioned much like a cave. Like...the cave she had stayed in when she looked more corrupted.

She made it to feel safe.

Pearl didn't think about it. It went clear over her head because for so long, she had lived in a safe haven in the temple. She never considered how it would look to someone like Jasper. To just built metaphorical and physical walls around herself.

"Jasper, you have a right to feel." Pearl argued quietly. She was careful in choosing her words. One wrong word could tip Jasper over the edge again.

"Stop." Jasper ordered, from behind the curtain.

It was quiet. Too quiet for someone like her. Pearl found that she would have rather had her yelling at her than this. Jasper sounded...almost defeated.

Pearl sighed and stood up. She started to go, but Jasper paused.

"Pearl."

The way she addressed her name had Pearl halting in her steps. It was a strange reaction, and a very alien one at that. It wasn't commanding, but Pearl almost took it as such and it didn't have the reaction that it normally would.

She set the thought aside and turned, frowning at the blanket mass. "Yes?"

"You said you went to see my Diamond's court." Jasper said, from beneath the blankets. "Take me there."

"Are you sure?" Pearl asked, quietly. "I don't think - "

"NOW."

"Well, you don't need to order me - "

Steven entered the house and looked up at Pearl. He read the conflict on her stare before frowning with concern.

"Steven, we're taking Jasper to Pink Diamond's court." she explained.

"What?" Steven said, alarmed. Fear lit his voice. "I don't know if we should go back there. It - "

Pearl hushed him with one hand over his mouth. She gave him a look that told him exactly what he needed to know, followed by a deft flick of her head in Jasper's direction. He understood then what this idea meant. Perhaps it was a way for her to confront her failure. And maybe they would be close to understanding.

O

Jasper had been oddly silent the entire time through the journey in the forest. Steven had attempted to talk with her, but she rebuffed him with cold stares. Pearl led the way in silence and for some peculiar reason, she began to feel ill.

Gems couldn't physically be sick as humans could; but it was a sensation of nausea that crept over her. Not to mention an anxiousness. Seeing the holographic Jasper was different than the real one. What was she going to expect? A fight? A tantrum again?

Jasper was too calm about this. It was unnerving. Like a gentle ocean breeze before a terrifying hurricane.

Once they saw the gates of the ruined court, Pearl reached up and started to push the door open. Jasper immediately froze.

The sound echoed loudly in her mind, replacing the present day with an image of chaos and war. Of herself struggling to open the doors.

Pearl and Steven started to enter the court, but stopped and looked toward Jasper.

"Jasper?" Steven said.

Jasper seemed like she was lost in her own world.

Or nightmare.

Her eyes were distant, almost tormented. It was the first flash of humanity seen in her since they had watched the holographic recording.

"Jasper!" Pearl said, a little more firm.

Jasper snapped out of her daze and her features hardened again. "What?" she snapped. "I'm fine. Don't look at me like that."

"Are you sure?" Steven asked, "We can leave, if you..."

She pushed her way into the court, but Steven and Pearl quickly hurried behind her.

While they were inside, Steven and Pearl stared guardedly at Jasper, noticing how her eyes wandered around the halls. She seemed wary of her surroundings, almost cautious. Which again, was nothing like her usual behavior.

Once she made it to Pink Diamond's throne room, she froze. Steven and Pearl did the same, watching her carefully. Jasper just stood there, staring at the place that Pink Diamond used to occupy.

"I was standing here." Jasper finally spoke, as if Steven and Pearl weren't even there. "I was standing right here. When she took my Diamond from me. And I couldn't stop her. I couldn't..."

Pearl exhaled and approached, reaching out, but hesitating. Steven caught the gesture.

"Jasper, it's okay if you need to cry." Pearl suggested.

Jasper snorted. "Jasper's don't cry."

"Are you sure? You sound like you need to."

Pearl hadn't realized how close she was to the larger Gem. In fact, she was standing right next to her, seeing her the way she had seen herself as Rose had perished. How much it had destroyed her and broken her down. The only difference was that Pearl had seen herself worthy of love and healing.

Jasper did not.

"Shut up..." Jasper snarled. "Don't tell me what I need!"

Pearl nodded, backing away. She would give her space.

Jasper stared at the place she had once protected...and failed. Her jaw tightened, her eyes brimmed. She made sounds of frustration, of rage and hatred. She clawed at her face, enough to leave trails of jagged marks.

"Your fault..."

Pearl and Steven looked up with worried sounds. Jasper had dropped to her knees and began to beat her fist into the floor. Her voice was higher, distressed and broken.

"It's all your fault!" she snarled, with each beat of her fist. "YOUR FAULT. YOUR FAULT. YOUR FAULT."

It echoed like a haunting mantra in the room.

Finally, Jasper clasped one hand over her face, struggling to silence the pained groans that burst from her. Her broad shoulders shook and broken, staccato sobs began to escape her. It was something she couldn't fight anymore.

Pearl took a step forward and set a hand on Jasper's shoulder, but the Gem recoiled from her touch, like she had been burned.

"Don't touch me, you stupid..." she began to rant, but trailed off with another defeated sound. "Just leave me alone!"

"I can't do that, Jasper." Pearl said, her eyes brimming a little.

"Go!" Jasper shouted, not looking at her.

"I don't want to go."

A cruel grin lit Jasper's lips. Steven saw it through the white locks of her hair. "Sure you do." Her voice dropped lower, more rough. "...They all do..."

"I don't." Pearl continued to argue quietly.

She knelt down beside Jasper, so small in her larger, intimidating presence. Steven only watched in silence as Pearl placed an arm around Jasper's shoulders, a careful attempt to comfort her. Jasper's shoulders shook and the broken sounds that escaped her were a little louder.

Pearl whispered something that had Jasper shaking her head in furious, pained rebuke.

It took only a few moments. Finally, the floodgates were opened and Jasper could hold it in no longer.

She began to cry. Hard.

There was no stopping the tears that poured through her fingertips, the broken sobs that escaped her, ragged and tormented. Pearl simply held her without knowing what she had been doing.

Jasper cried harder than she had heard anyone cry before.

And she didn't know she was also crying with her.

O

Note - Yo, this chapter was so hard to write. :T I'm not sure if I like it or not, but there it is.