AN: Hello, dear readers! I just want you to know I really appreciate all the reviews and follows. Some of your reviews and comments are so awesome (I'm looking at you, TheNutritiousNoodle)! They give me life! They inspire me! They give me the strength to go on in spite of the heart crushing feels! I love you guys! You're all awesome! Now on with the story!

Chapter 21: Revelations

After six weeks of being locked down in quarantine, Ruby, Sapphire, Jasper, and Emerald finally arrived at the Homeworld Galaxy Warp Annex. They made a quite unhappy looking bunch as they stepped down from the massive warp pad in the center. A clearly devastated Ruby stumbled over to a nearby bench clinging to the urn-like orb which contained her partner's shattered remains. Sapphire wasted no time sitting by her friend's side to wrap her in a comforting hug. Ruby's tumultuous emotional state calmed a bit under Sapphire's cool touch. Emerald viewed Sapphire's affectionate act with disgust. She felt that her kindhearted partner shouldn't have been touching Ruby at all.

"Sapphire, sweetie, we should get going. I'd like to check on the lab while we're here."

"Emerald, you can do that on your own time. You don't need me for that. Right now I want to be there for Ruby." Sapphire's words felt like daggers to Emerald's chest. Emerald knew her partner could be very kind, but the jealous Gem wanted all that kindness for herself. "Ruby, what do you want to do for now?"

"Sapphire, I think you should go with your partner for now. I need some time to myself, and time to think of a way to honor Spinel."

"Ruby, are you sure?"

"Yeah. If you want to be part of her send-off I'll contact you with a time and place."

"I would love to be part of it. If you need me to do anything special just tell me. I'm willing to help in any way possible." Ruby managed a small smile that did nothing to outweigh her sadness.

"Oh, Sapphire, you really are too damn nice, ya know?" The pair shared a chuckle and a hug before parting ways. For a moment Sapphire looked on as Ruby went to meet with a very quiet Jasper at the warp pad to the Dirty East. At the same time Emerald was watching her partner feeling very jealous of the closeness Sapphire shared with her little red friend. Emerald took her partner by the hand as they headed for Emerald's imposing edifice. Sapphire could tell by her partner's demeanor that something was bothering her, and her future vision gave her an idea what it was, yet Sapphire kept quiet. She knew before the day was done Emerald would surely speak her mind.

Once the studious pair arrived at Emerald's home they were greeted by Jade at the main entrance, which was odd since she was usually tending to Emerald's personal quarters while maintenance Gems took care of the lab.

"Good day, Madame and Miss Sapphire. Welcome back."

"Hello, Jade," Sapphire replied. "It's good to be back."

"Is there anything I can do for you, Madame?"

"Just give us some space and time alone. We've been through a lot these past six weeks."

"As you wish, Madame."

Sapphire and Emerald got settled in the Qualifier's personal quarters. Both were relieved to be in the open space instead of confined in The Institute. As Emerald held her partner close and kissed her cheek, Sapphire gave her an expectant look. The blue oracle knew her partner had something to say, so she patiently waited for Emerald to speak her mind.

"Sapphire, is it safe to say you and Ruby are close?"

"Yes. That's a true assessment."

"What about us? Would you consider us close as well?"

"Of course. We're partners. It would be rather strange if we weren't."

"Sweetie, there's something I don't understand. I may be wrong, but it seems like you're closer to Ruby than to me." Sapphire immediately picked up on the sadness with a hint of anger in Emerald's voice.

"What gave you that impression?"

"For one thing you were about to go against our compromise to support that little…Gem. You also seem to consider her feelings over mine. You even stole from my lab to help her. And let's not forget your attempt to fuse with her. I know you didn't do it on purpose, but still…"

"Emerald, it's ok to say what you really want. You don't need to dance around the subject." Emerald chewed her bottom lip for a moment, then put it all out there, consequences be damned.

"Sapphire, I want us to become closer than we've ever been in the fifty years we've been together." Emerald gently brushed Sapphire's bangs aside revealing her single, cerulean eye. "My love…will you fuse with me?"

Sapphire pondered Emerald's request as she peeked just beyond the veil of fate. She saw how this would turn out in the end, but she knew she couldn't put it off any longer. She had to know the 'why' behind the wrongness that had haunted her for so long and that she tried so hard to make right.

"Emerald…I consent. Let's fuse."

Emerald was absolutely elated by Sapphire's agreement, completely unaware of her partner's motivation behind the agreement. The couple made their way hand in hand to the huge foyer just outside of Emerald's personal quarters. There was plenty of space to dance and the ceiling was high enough to allow room for a fusion. As usual Emerald already had a dainty minuet playing softly in the background of her home. Emerald started the fusion dance with her precisely elegant pointe then Sapphire synchronized with her partner in her own flowing modern dance movements. Each individual's movements spoke to the other saying 'I trust you with my light, and you can trust me with yours.' With a flourishing twirl the two bodies of light merged to form the ravishing Aquamarine. The impossibly beautiful aqua blue fusion looked over herself with her three eyes. She positioned her four arms in an elegant pose as she twirled her translucent gossamer skirts. She was the embodiment of pure joy as she glided across the floor leaving a snowflake-like pattern in her wake. Aquamarine embraced this wonderful feeling of being, but alas that joyful moment was short lived. Before they fused Sapphire had foreseen that her gift of foresight and Emerald's gift of hindsight would combine. However, Sapphire had no warning about what she would witness. Aquamarine stood still then shuddered as Emerald's recent past discretions were made plain. The vision Sapphire had previously seen as only a possibility was now clearly a harsh reality. Within Aquamarine's mindscape Emerald began to panic as Sapphire witnessed in full detail a review of what happened on Mask Island with Lapis Lazuli, a dalliance with Jade, flirtatious play with several of the lab workers...the memories just kept flooding in one after another until the fusion became so unstable she could no longer hold together. The two Gems split violently and fell to the floor. Emerald quickly stood to her feet, her eyes wide with panic as Sapphire slowly turned to face her. The Qualifier shrunk under Sapphire's cold glare.

"Emerald…you…are…SCANDALOUS!" The very moment Sapphire spewed that last word from her mouth a frigid burst engulfed the surrounding atmosphere. Emerald wrapped her arms around herself as her eyes darted about in fear of what would become of her. She started to back away from Sapphire in an attempt to find a means of escape. "I warned you that there would be consequences. Don't even try to escape. That will only make things worse."

"Sapphire, sweetie…"

"You have no right to call me that. Now prepare for the consequences for you shameful acts." By now Sapphire was hovering above the now icy floor as electricity crackled from the gem in her right hand. Emerald begged for Sapphire's forgiveness, but her pleas went unheeded as Sapphire placed her electrified hand on top of Emerald's lime green locks sending a jarring current down the Qualifier's body construct. The shock brought Emerald to her knees and temporarily paralyzed her. The enraged Sapphire then took hold of a clump of Emerald's twisted braids to drag her out of the foyer and towards the main entrance just outside of the lab. To Emerald's horror Sapphire called for all of the Gems in Emerald's employ to come witness Emerald's long overdue humiliation. The shameless green Gem wanted to run and hide, but couldn't because every time she recovered the ability to stand Sapphire would shoot an electrical current through her body. Emerald didn't know what was more terrifying, Sapphire's casual attitude towards causing the wayward Gem to suffer, or the stone cold, icy glare she was giving her. Jade and all present maintenance Gems gathered to witness the long awaited fall of the mighty Emerald. Most of the workers looked shocked at the sight of the presently helpless Qualifier, except for Jade, whose expression was neutral. None were aware of what was really going through the stoic Gems mind at all. Sapphire hovered a bit higher from the ground pulling Emerald into a more upright position before heaping on humiliation.

"Everyone, Emerald has something to confess to you. You may already be aware of this, but she really, really needs to get some things off of her chest." Sapphire glared at Emerald once again as she spoke clearly for all present to hear. "Emerald, tell them what a filthy slut you are. Say it now."

"I'm…I'm a filthy s-slut…" Emerald mumbled, but Sapphire refused to tolerate her foolishness.

"Say it so they can hear you!"

"I'm a filthy slut!" Emerald wailed as tears of humiliation poured from her eyes.

"Much better. Now what does a filthy slut like you deserve?"

"Hu…hu…humiliation…"

"What doesn't a filthy, disgusting slut like you deserve?"

"A…a…"

"Stop stuttering and say it clearly!"

"I don't deserve a perfect, lovely Gem like Sapphire!" Emerald finally shouted at the top of her lungs. Sapphire then loosened her grip on Emerald's hair causing her still paralyzed body construct to fall to the chilled floor with a thud. Sapphire then addressed Emerald's workers. "If any of you still wished to work for this disgusting, selfish, lying slut please return to your post. Otherwise you are free to leave right now." All of the lab workers glanced down at the blubbering mess that was Emerald, then at each other before filing out of the main entrance.

"Please don't leave me!" Emerald shouted after them. "There's no way I can run the lab all by myself! Please come back!" Her begging was only answered with silence and a closed door. The only worker left standing was Jade, who quietly walked over to the still hovering Sapphire.

"Miss Sapphire, when Emerald first brought you here I was truly upset that you were taking my place as Emerald's partner. I was on the borderline of flat out hating you, and for that I apologize. I also apologize that you ended up doing what should have been done a long time ago. For that I thank you." The quiet, moss green Gem respectfully bowed to Sapphire then knelt before the still shaken and utterly humbled Emerald. "Farewell, my love. It's sad, yet satisfying to see your great empire crumble before your very eyes. In spite of that I truly hope you'll be able to better yourself and become…a proper, respectable Gem. But alas, I doubt that's going to happen." Jade gave the devastated Emerald a kiss on the cheek then exited the now nearly empty edifice for the last time. The still prone Emerald looked up at Sapphire to ask her one last question.

"Are you going to leave me as well?"

"Of course," came Sapphire's matter-of-fact reply. "I'd be a fool to do otherwise." With that being said, Sapphire left Emerald twitching and writing in a pool of her own humiliation. Once the massive, glowing green doors closed behind her for that last time, Sapphire decided take a long overdue trip to the Dirty East. Ruby needed her now more than ever, and now there was nothing or no one to stop her from doing what was needed.