Freshwater clung to the hand for dear life as it rose up the structure. Just when she thought she was going to pass out, her head popped from out of the top of a water bubble, allowing her to gulp for air. Glancing over, she was relieved to see that Steven was safe, his head also bobbing above the water from a water bubble.

"What are you two doing here?" Lapis growled, glaring at the pair. "What? I…" Steven faltered before composing himself. "No, what are you doing here?" He demanded. "This thing….The ocean!" the hybrid seemed completely at a loss for words.

"This is crazy!" He shouted.

Freshwater looked around, only now realizing just how high up they were. The earth was far below them, the millions of stars looking close enough that she could touch them. It was truly beautiful, and Freshwater would be lying if she said she hadn't missed the view she'd had from the spaceship.

"Can't we work this out? We gems should be friends!" Freshwater's head whipped back around when she felt herself being pulled to face the water gem. "Don't you know anything, Steven!" She looked over at Freshwater, her eyes narrowing. "Listen to me." She said, stepping forward so she was nose to nose with the Pearl. "They don't care about other gems. All they care about is the earth." Freshwater gulped and did her best to shrink back from her form which was reflected in the gem's eyes. "But I never believed in this place." She said, stepping back and turning her gaze to a bright collection of stars.

Freshwater followed the gem's gaze, her eyes widening when they landed on them.

"Homeworld." She whispered in awe. She had never been there, but she felt a strong connection to the place and could tell Lapis felt the same. Lapis nodded as she finally dropped Steven and Freshwater onto the structure's surface.

"I just. Wanna go home." Lapis whispered, kneeling and gazing up at the place. Freshwater and Steven glanced at each other before joining the blue gem on the ground. "I know how important home can be. But that's why I'm here! You took the ocean away, and the ocean is an important part of my home." Steven explained, staring at the endless assortment of stars. "I'm only using the ocean because my gem is cracked. If I just stretch it far enough…" Lapis's voice trailed off before she sighed. "This is never going to work." She whispered, hugging herself.

Freshwater frowned as she heard the raw emotion dripping from Lapis's voice. Truthfully, she had never had a home. But it seemed like Homeworld was somehow a part of that, and even she felt a strong pull to the place.

"I can fix your gem!" Steven exclaimed, pullling Freshwater from her thoughts. Lapis and Freshwater looked shocked. She'd heard about Rose Quartz being able to heal gems, but didn't know her son could as well. "Wait, you have healing powers?" Steven beamed with excitement at the aspect of using his powers. "I know right!!" Lapis looked doubtful, but turned her back to reveal her large cracked gem. Freshwater cringed at how painful it looked.

"Okay, what should I…."

"Oh, sorry, this might be a little weird." Steven said sheepishly as Lapis and Freshwater exchanged a look. Before the two gems could further question the hybrid, Steven licked his hand and pressed it to Lapis's gem, making her and Freshwater shudder.

There was a brief moment where Freshwater feared Steven's attempt didn't work, but sure enough it did, the Lazuli's gemstone glowing brightly as beautiful water wings sprouted from her. Turning, she smiled widely at the two. "Thank you, Steven! There must be something I can do to repay you." Freshwater blushed, looking up at where she supposed Homeworld was.

She knew she could never go to Yellow Diamond for fear of being shattered, but what if she tried? What if she took a chance and went, telling them that she had served the gems and found out more information about them? What if Yellow Diamond actually thanked her, saw at least some worth inside of her worthless form? What if-

"No, just return the ocean please." Steven said, stopping Freshwater's thoughts instantly.

Lapis laughed lightly before nodding. "Sure, no problem. Thanks again."

Steven waved a hand dismissively with a small smile. "No prob Bob."

"It's….Lapis."

(Time skip)

Freshwater stared off into the distance from the temple porch, deep in thought. Now that she had knowledge of the location of Homeworld's galaxy, she couldn't stop thinking about it. Peridot and Holly Blue Agate had made it sound amazing, even for gems like her. Amazing technology, powerful gems simply living out their lives there, serving their Diamonds with as much drive as she had. Freshwater would be lying if she said she didn't want that, even if it meant being shattered by Yellow Diamond.

Because at least then she would have felt more at home than she had felt anywhere else.

"Homeworld looks great and all from here, but why do you stare at it so much?"

Freshwater glanced over at the sound of Amethyst's voice as the gem joined her outside the temple.

Freshwater shrugged in response, not tearing her eyes away from the stars. She was standing on the temple roof, staring off into the stars.

"I feel attatched to it." She said simply. Amethyst scowled. "But you were made here. Don't you want to protect this place?" Freshwater almost laughed at the thought. "No. I'm only here because protecting Steven is among my orders. I feel no attachment to this planet." Amethyst bit her lip, clenching her fist. "So what are you gonna do, run back to Homeworld and rat us out?" She demanded, raising a fist threateningly. This time, Freshwater did laugh, without humor. "As much as I'd like to, no. Ultimately, I was made for the Diamonds." She stopped with a sad sigh, finally ripping her gaze away before continuing softly. "But I'm defective. Trash underneath their gravity connectors. My existence is a direct slap in the face of the Diamonds. As is every other defective gem's."

Freshwater jumped when Amethyst slammed her fist on the temple porch and walke off angrily. Rolling her eyes, the Pearl simply returned her gaze to Homeworld with a sigh.

These Crystal Gems sure had an odd habit of glorifying clear faults in gems.