Note: From now on I'm going to stop putting 'caution' before chapters with sex scenes. I find it spoils it a bit and this fic is rated M so yeah.

This fanfic contains a lot of swearing, smoking, violence and various other mature themes.

All characters are the property of Rebecca Sugar and Cartoon Network, except for Erica and Parker.

This fanfic is written from the perspective of E. K. Brooks.

Chapter 37: Blue and green

The next few days passed in a bit of a blur. I spent most of the time sleeping, waking up for meals and updates about Steven and the people we had pulled from the car. The little family was doing alright and had asked to come and see us to say thank you, but the doctors had told them to wait a day or two, since both Steven and I were under strict orders to – as Amethyst put it – 'chill the fuck out'. They came by as soon as they could and Katie had run up to Jasper yelling 'Big waffle lady!' and hugged her massive calf, and I got to hold the baby again. He was called Brian. Their father, Carl, thanked us and had even brought us flowers and Katie had drawn a picture.

I had visited Steven a few times, mostly just ending up saying hi to Greg since Steven spent a lot of time sleeping too. I had spotted Pearl's gem lying on a pillow next to Steven's head and thought it was a really sweet gesture. Priyanka and Connie dropped in several times and even Sadie came to visit after a few days, bringing a huge box of donuts with her that she refused all payment for. My wounds were healing well and I was told there would be some scarring, but that didn't bother me much. I had talked to Parker finally and received an earful from her – both about me ending up in the hospital again and about the hang-up calls. Parker was sending me a new SIM-card, two top-of-the-line satellite phones and a very sturdy tablet for Jasper. It was either that or she'd come over to live with us and accompany me everywhere I went.

I spent one rainy afternoon ordering some stuff off the internet to make a very compact EDC, or every day carry. We would most likely go out to different places in the wild at some point or other and I didn't want a repeat of the forest to happen. I mean everything had turned out alright. We'd made a shelter and were able to boil water to keep from being too dehydrated but maybe the next time we wouldn't be so lucky. I found a large tin cup that came in a canvas container that you could strap to your belt and decided to use that as a base. I bought a high quality multi-tool with a fire steel, a thick leather belt, a compass, water purification tablets, storm matches, a miniature first-aid kit, an emergency blanket, a very lightweight rain poncho, a collapsible water bottle you could roll up, a large bandana and a box of 3600 kcal emergency food rations. It would probably end up weighing a lot, but I figured I'd rather carry around some extra weight that to spend another night like that in the wild. Jasper agreed when I told her. She also suggested we should try to find me some sort of armor thing and I delegated that task to Parker who set to it immediately. She reported back that she had found a manufacturer of stunt clothes that could make me a custom made set of overalls, gloves and face protection if I sent her my measurements. Jasper helped me take them and I sent an email to Parker on the seventh day of my hospital stay. I would find out if I could go home today and I felt so very ready to leave.

I was alone in my room, reading a book when there was a knock at the door and Priyanka stepped inside.

"Good morning, Erica. After conferring with Brown and Anderson I've decided you can go home this afternoon" she said with a smile.

"OhthanksyousweetJesus" I breathed out a few golden sparks.

"We'll change your bandages one more time before you leave and give you some prescriptions for pain management and antibiotics. There's still a chance for infection so you need to keep track of your temperature. You'll need to have your wounds redressed once per day, so you'll have to come back tomorrow. And of course, you must take it easy. No heavy lifting and no exercise apart from your physical therapy"

"I think I can do that" I said, feeling happy. "Can I drive? I've been thinking of renting a car for a while now. Or just buying one maybe"

"I wouldn't recommend it while you are on these painkillers. We will wean you off them slowly over the next few days and switch you to some different ones. Those are fine to drive on"

"OK, good to know" I smiled at her. "Oh I can't wait to see Cake!"

"Cake?"

"She's our cat; I haven't seen her for more than a week now. She must have grown so much"

I spent my remaining time in the hospital packing up the things Jasper had brought over and going to see Steven. He and Connie invited me and Jasper to play some games in his room while Greg ran a few quick errands. A nurse came in to get me and Andersen cleaned and redressed my arms. We made an appointment for tomorrow after lunch. Afterwards I went back to say goodbye to Steven and Connie and Jasper and I headed down to the lobby where Greg was waiting for us.

"Goodbye Brego" I said to the wheelchair as I got up out of it. "I hope you'll never feel my butt again" Jasper snickered and clambered into the back of the van and I sat in the front, next to Greg. I could barely contain myself. I was going home!

When we pulled up to the house I thanked Greg profusely and we made arrangements for us to go to the hospital together tomorrow. When I opened the door I called out for Cake.

"Caaake!" there was an answering meep and the sound of little paws cantering toward us. Jasper chuckled as Cake skidded out of the living room and positively charged at me, meowing loudly. The white kitten wound around my ankles, rubbing herself against me intensely.

"Looks like someone missed their mommy" Jasper said affectionately as I bent down to pick her up.

"Oh, precious" Cake purred and rubbed her little face all over mine, making me giggle with pleasure. "I missed you too! Oh my gods she's gotten so big! Haven't you, sweetie?" I cooed and stroked her gently. "Oh, it feels so good to be home"

I kicked off my shoes and went directly to the living room and lay down on the bed.

"Oh… my… gods…" I moaned happily and wiggled around, burrowing into the soft pillows and blankets. Cake jumped around me excitedly. "I missed you too, bed!" my voice was muffled by the bedding. I heard Jasper laughing from behind me and then the mattress moved as she lay down next to me.

"You are so fucking adorable, you know that?" she said with a broad smile. I giggled and wiggled around some more, hugging the pillows and letting out a dozen bright gold butterflies. Cake immediately jumped after them. I threw my arms around Jasper and kissed her. She responded by putting her hand on the small of my back and pulled me closer. "It feels so good to be able to lay beside you again, my little monster" she purred with slightly pink cheeks. I grinned at her and kissed her again, deeper this time.

"Oh, darling, you have no idea how long I've been waiting to do this…" my hand wandered over her chest slowly and she gave me an amused look.

"Do what exactly?" she smirked as I gave her breast a squeeze, then my hand traveled down over her stomach. Her eyebrows raised as my hand slid further down. I could feel her stem under her pants and I stroked it through the cloth. It squirmed happily and I grabbed it firmly, making Jasper let out a surprised little gasp. "Stars, Erica" she grinned crookedly and I could see her pupils dilating before I leaned forward to kiss those luscious lips of hers.

"This is mine now" I whispered in her ear and nibbled her earlobe, making her let out a little appreciative moan. I rubbed her up and down slowly and felt the fabric of her pants grow damp. I kissed down her neck and moved downward quickly, pausing at her breast to suckle her nipple through her shirt. She hissed out a breath and trembled underneath my lips. "Pull your pants down" I mumbled, my mouth full. I looked up at her flushed face and let my teeth slide over her puffy nipple. "Now" she fumbled with the buckle and lifted her butt slightly to push them down, then lay back, looking at me with such sweet surrender. I abandoned her nipple and looked down at her stem – Kara was caressing her stomach eagerly, visibly throbbing. I smiled and kissed down her belly. "Hello Kara…" I whispered when I was half an inch away from her. Jasper moaned and I could feel her stomach rise up and down faster. I gave Kara a little lick and she squirmed against my tongue, so eager to touch. Usually I would love to tease and drag things out, but not today. I had been fantasizing about this for days now. I took the tip in my mouth and gave a moan of my own as the familiar taste of her flooded my tongue. Jasper gasped and trembled so sweetly and I grabbed her thigh. I started to move my head, licking and sucking as the tip twirled, caressing the roof of my mouth and sending shivers down my spine. Jasper let out a growling groan and began to move her hips seductively. I gloried in the pleasure I was giving her and started to go at it a little quicker and rougher. This made her move faster in turn and her breath became more rapid.

"Erica, oh my stars, yes!" she growled. Kara squirmed and I pressed her against the roof of my mouth with my tongue hard and massaged her forcefully. "Oh fuck!" Jasper panted and I felt her tremble underneath me and Kara throbbed powerfully. A lustful growling scream left her and my mouth filled with her sweet juices. I didn't stop sucking immediately, rather I slowed down, going gently, now soothing her with my tongue. Kara pulsated and caressed me back feebly, as if tired now. I was very pleased with myself as I let her go and she dropped down on Jasper's stomach, squirming with tiny happy twitches. I raised my head to look at Jasper's shining face. Her chest was moving rapidly as she panted, her gem glowing. She met my gaze and I raised one eyebrow at her and smiled and bit my lower lip.

"Oh my fucking stars, Erica…" she purred. "Oh. My. Fucking. Stars!"

"Do you need a moment?" I asked her huskily and she started to laugh and moved one big hand to slide my shorts off, making me giggle too.

"Why don't you come up here…" she said sultrily and touched my wetness briefly and then brought her hand up to her mouth, wiggling her eyebrows at me suggestively. I giggled some more and got up and placed my knees on either side of her head, hovering above her mouth. She put her hands on my thighs and pushed them apart, bringing me closer. She licked her lips and looked me straight in the eye before reaching out with her long tongue and flicking my clitoris cheekily. I let out a slightly indignant gasp and she grinned mischievously before starting to lick me with slow, elaborate passion. She moaned into me and the vibration made my body tingle. I began to grind against her. She sucked my clit hungrily, fluttering at it with her tongue at the same time. The wave inside was building up fast. She switched between licking and sucking every so often, but I wanted more.

"Stick your tongue inside me…" I moaned and saw her grin a moment, then she slid her tongue to my opening, circling it and dipping in teasingly. She went deeper and I let out a gasp as I felt my walls contracting around it and I began to move up and down. I could feel her pulse as it slid in and out and I was lost in pleasure. I groaned and whined as I rocked back and forth and she snorted lustfully.

"Jasper, Jasper, Jasper, oh my goooohhhddsss!" the wave broke so suddenly and so powerfully I felt my insides spasm wildly and Jasper's eyes flew open. She pulled her tongue out and suckled my clitoris, extending my blinding orgasm for a good twenty seconds before I fell forward on my hands and then rolling to the side, panting hard – a stream of pink and orange sparks and vapor flowing out of me. Jasper grinned and followed my movement, laying her head on my thigh and licking me ever so softly. My hips bucked as an aftershock peaked into a smaller orgasm and I let out a little wailing moan. I could feel Jaspers breath come in bursts and heard her chuckling huskily.

"I think you gave me a fat lip*" she purred and licked at it – it did look a little swollen. She kissed my mound cheekily, making me giggle and twitch, butterflies joining the fading sparks and clouds. She moved up to lie beside me and I grabbed her chin and kissed her deeply. "Ow" she said with a grin as we broke a part. I kissed her swollen lip a lot more tenderly and then her gem.

"Aww… Did Galadriel hurt you, darling?" I said in a slightly mocking tone. Jasper let out a happy and indignant little noise and hit me with a pillow. We both burst out laughing and more butterflies appeared. When we stopped I wiped my eyes and snuggled up to her, stroking her cheek gently.

"That was some welcome home celebration" I murmured into her lips before kissing her softly.

"Mhmm" she hummed and pulled me closer. "I've never had anyone claim my stem before… It was very exciting…" she stroked my back slowly.

I chuckled evilly. "Myeah… I really enjoyed how you responded to my… slightly rougher approach" I looked up into her eyes. She sniggered and shook her head at me slowly.

"Ah, Erica, the things you do to me…" she gazed back at me. "I'm usually the one who… leads… But with you… I can follow too" I felt the hair at the back of my neck stand on end.

"I enjoy both those things, and the middle too" she smiled and leaned in to kiss me. "I sway, and you sway with me… You pull, I follow… I give, you give… It's a dance of equals" she looked at me with a slight wrinkle between her eyes.

"Equals?"

"Isn't that what we are?" a change came over her face… I saw a light come into her eyes and a smile spread across her face slowly, ponderously, like the dawn over Discworld. Her eyelids fluttered closed as she leaned in to kiss me. I felt her pulse beating in her lips and the soft caress of her tongue as it bad entry into my mouth. There was something more in this kiss… Something she had held back and was now giving, sharing with me. I didn't know what it was exactly, but I welcomed it. Accepted it. Accepted her… invitation. Something inside me sang out, something small and bright and warm, and I felt a song come from her too, a little tentative, but brave, like someone walking onto a stage for the first time to sing in front of people. A clear note, crisp, clean, innocent, and then a swell of freedom that it brought. As our lips parted a band of light connected us, and it faded slowly with the whisper of two little laughs. She leaned her forehead against mine and closed her eyes again, looking completely contented. I felt a bubbling happiness inside my chest and I put my nose to the tip of her gem and let out a breath of pure peace. I was so comfortable, our bodies entwined on the bed that I had missed so much.

I was walking down a long corridor. The walls were bright, but not white. More like a creamy pinkish yellow. There was music and I stopped to listen, trying to figure out where it came from. It seemed to be emanating from the walls themselves. I sat down on my haunches and closed my eyes, just simply enjoying the beauty of the melody. There was a soft ba-da-da-dum, ba-da-da-dum as if a cat running across a wooden floor and I looked up. Cake was the size of Lion and her usual meep of greeting was more of a 'BREOWRR', but she head-butted me gently and purred like the engine of a fine old Harley Davidson. I laughed and patted her huge head.

"Do you want to play?" I asked her, and I was surprised to hear… my voice. It sounded like a child. I looked down at my grey arms and white nightshirt. This was my body, but I felt… different. Cake responded by rubbing her head against my chest and lowering her body to the ground. I climbed onto her back and she stood up and began to walk, then trot and then canter. She let out a bellowing roar and a portal appeared in front of us. We leapt through it and sped through a tunnel of light before exiting the other side. This was a different place. A jungle. Palm trees waved in a wind I couldn't feel and there was a woman, kneeling by a big, sparkling geode. She had a stack of papers under one arm and put it down on the ground and rested her back against the dark purple rock. There was a flash of light from behind me and a snippet of sound – me and Cake turned around to see a brilliant flare engulf the sky and everything went white for a moment.

I opened my eyes slowly. My vision was partially obscured by beige hair, but I could see three orange spheres floating near the ceiling, the gems inside sparkling in the dull light from the street lamps. I turned my head and buried my nose in Jasper's hair. There was an appreciative little grunting noise and a warm hand slid down my back and soft lips pressed against my forehead.

"Mmh" I mumbled happily.

"Hello…" Jasper's voice was hoarse and warm. "I think we… fell asleep" she wiggled against me.

"Mah bts co-old" I complained muzzily and heard her chuckle and felt big warm hands slide down to rest on my bum. "Mmmh" I sighed as the uncomfortable chill left me. Then I realized I needed the bathroom. "Noooo" I whined and forced myself to sit up.

"What is it?" Jasper asked.

"Gots ta pee" I got up reluctantly and went to the bathroom, but then smiled as I sat down. I was home. When I returned to the bed, Jasper lay curled up and looked so warm and cozy. Neither of us was wearing anything on our bottom halves. I grabbed my phone and pulled a blanket over us as I snuggled up to her chest, then handed it to her.

"You, make pizza hapn" I mumbled into her shirt and she chuckled softly.

"Alright, little monster" she lifted the phone to her lips and said; "Call pizza place" she ordered four and then let her arm fall to her side. "It's almost nine in the evening"

"Oh shit" I started to giggle against her chest. "We didn't have to do anything today, right?"

"No" she smiled down at me. "Just get you home"

When Jenny arrived with the pizza I got up and wrapped a towel around my waist before opening the door. She grinned at me knowingly and I blushed slightly as I paid her. Jasper and I headed out onto the patio to eat – she hadn't put on anything and it was terribly sexy to see her walk around in just a t-shirt. As we sat down to eat I kept looking at her naked lower half, when she noticed she relaxed back into the cushions a bit more, smirked and spread her legs further apart. I giggled at her.

"You're such a show off… Don't you dare change" she reached out for a slice of pizza and raised it to her mouth, flexing her arm and looking at me at the same time to see my reaction. I felt my cheeks flush at the sheer cockiness of her display and bit down slowly on my pizza.

"How could I? When you keep looking at me like that…" she chuckled in a satisfied way and lay back against the cushions again, Kara caressing the inside of her thigh slowly. I leaned against her chest with a happy little sigh. We finished the pizzas and I lay down on my back and lit a cigarette. I felt comfortably tired.

"Do you want to watch some Battlestar Galactica?" Jasper asked me softly.

"Mmm, sure… I'll probably fall asleep though"

We went into the living room and set up the computer. I managed to stay awake for a little while, petting a purring cake.

I was sitting on the front step of the house and having a cup of coffee and a cigarette when Greg pulled up in the van. I stood up and walked over, getting into the front passenger seat.

"Hey" he greeted brightly.

"Hi Greg, how's it going?"

"I'm good, how're you?" he started driving out of town.

"I'm good too. Man, it felt so nice to sleep in my own bed tonight" I said with a smile and rubbed my neck a little. Jasper had left a sizable bite mark on the right side earlier this morning. Thankfully it was mostly covered by the collar of my polo-shirt. "Do you know when they'll let Steven out yet?"

"In a few days I think. He's doing so much better now" Greg said happily. There was a plinky-plonk sound from his pocket. "Ah, speak of the devil" he grinned and took out his phone. "It's from Steven – oh" his smile stiffened a little.

"What?" I asked curiously.

"He's got some more friends visiting him now. Have you met Peridot and Lapis yet?" I felt my eyes widen and an ice cold hand seemed to squeeze my heart. Lapis? Lapis?! "They are quite the pair, those two" Greg said a little nervously. I looked at him, wanting him to go on. "Did you know, Peridot once pushed me off a roof! That's when she was still getting used to this place, but now she's… Well, she's still Peridot, but sort of… toned down. More relaxed. I really think she likes having a roommate"

"Roommate?" I felt confused.

"Yeah, she and Lapis are sharing my aunt and uncle's old barn" anger flared in me at the mention of her name. "And Lapis…" flare "She's different now too. Mostly sad, I would say… Me and Steven took her on a boat trip once, to try to cheer her up. I offered to let her steer and wear the captain's hat, but she got strangely upset about it, said I shouldn't trust her with the boat… I had to work really hard to keep positive that day, she was so down on herself all the time^" despite myself, I raised my eyebrows. Greg got a little concerned look on his face. "It worries me, sometimes… Steven makes friends with everyone and he's usually right about them. He always wants to help, but I'm not sure if he can do that this time… I don't know if I've ever met anyone so… damaged…" he sighed. "Maybe she just needs some more time to adjust to this place. Maybe it's good that they're visiting Steven, I don't think the two of them have gone anywhere together outside the barn before" he perked up at this. "It is good, right?" he turned to me with a tentative smile. I panicked slightly. What should I say?

"R-right…" I looked out through the windshield. I was feeling so conflicted… Steven said Lapis was great, Greg called a miserable person, Pearl… she had urged me to forgive her, I guess… And Jasper… She hadn't said much about Lapis at all. An image of my big, beautiful, warm, caring Jasper locked in chains, a shadowy figure lashing at her with a whip blazed across my mind. Jasper's agonized face, twisted in pain followed and I could hear screaming, screaming, screaming, fighting against the ice cold shackles binding her to that Lapis… Anger burned in me and I clicked my jaw.

"You… OK?" Greg asked carefully. I blinked rapidly to try to rid my mind of the terrible images. "Do your arms hurt?" thank you for giving me an easy out, I thought.

"Yeah" I looked down at them. My hands were trembling, but not from pain.

"We'll be there in two minutes" he said and sped up slightly. We parked close to the entrance and went inside. It was a 12:57 as I approached the nurses' station and they greeted me politely and told me to sit and wait for Andersen to show up.

"Will you come by Steven's room when you're done?" Greg asked and I nodded distractedly. He walked off down the corridor and I sat down and pulled out my phone, remembered Jasper still didn't have one and shoved it back in my pocket with a huff. Shit. Jasper and Amethyst were off somewhere today, training or exploring. So she wouldn't be back until this evening, most likely. Shit, shit, shit. What would I do if I saw Lapis? Maybe I'd just… snap?

"Miss Brooks?" Andersen was standing in front of me.

"Oh, hi" I said. He led me to a room and began unravelling my bandages and debriding my arms. He worked slowly and carefully and talked continuously. I wasn't really paying attention, but he didn't seem to notice, he was so concentrated on doing his job.

I wanted to talk to Jasper. I hadn't told her how I felt about Lapis – did my feelings even matter in this situation? Lapis was Jasper's… Jasper's… abuser? Torturer? Rapist? A chill went down my spine. Cold… dead… inside… No, nope. Not gonna go there today. I gave my head a little shake. My heart was pounding fast in frustration. I shouldn't do anything until I had talked to Jasper. But if she wanted me to do something after that… Oh, please let her want me to do something… The anger was so seductive in how it drew me in, luring me with images of sweet, sweet revenge and… domination. That ancient feeling, that need to be the alpha, to crush my enemies and defend my mate – it bloomed in me like righteous, primal wildfire, consuming everything in its path. I wanted to pound my chest and roar and – no. That thought was accompanied by too much excitement and I forced myself to take a mental step back. That was the danger with me and anger; it could feel so good, so right. Anger was a tool I wielded. A tame beast that would come when I called. I was the master now, not it. I took deep, calming breaths. Talk to Jasper. Talk to Jasper first and then we could – shut up!

"There we are, all done!" Anderson said as he taped the end of the bandage down with a flourish. "Same time tomorrow? It'll be Cordelia then, I think"

"Yeah, OK, thanks" I mumbled as I got up. I needed a cigarette, badly. I hurried through the corridors to head out onto the roof, when I remembered I'd have to walk past Steven's room. What if they were still in there? I forced myself not to look as I sped past, but heard several voices and laughter so they must be. I felt the acid rising in my stomach and I kicked the door to the roof open, then paced around, trying to burn off some energy. How could they be laughing together?! Didn't Steven know what she had done to Jasper?!

"Graah!" I growled, and blue lighting crackled through the air with a loud thunderclap. It struck the ground and left a scorched looking little crater, the concrete smoking. Fuck! I shoved my hand in my pocket and wrenched out a cigarette, then tried to light it but my lighter seemed to be running low on fluid. I threw it away from me on a sudden impulse and regretted it immediately as I saw it bounce off the safety rail and drop out of sight. I ripped the cigarette out of my mouth and hissed "Son of a bitch!" a smaller tendril earthed itself about halfway up the little white cylinder and I stared, completely dumbstruck, as it began to smoke. I put it back in my mouth and took a deep drag. Holy fuck balls. This was the second time I had set something on fire, apart from myself. Did this mean I'd never have to buy another lighter again? I finished that cigarette, but since it had only been half of one, I didn't feel satisfied, so I took out another. I held it by the filter and… what had I done? Been angry, yes and then I had said son of a bitch in a hiss, while I looked at it… Lapis, I thought and felt the anger come, then focused my eyes on the end of the cigarette and hissed;

"Son of a bitch" a thin pale blue arc leapt from my mouth to my thumb and I cried out as it burned fiercely. This made me angrier and I pinched the filter hard. "You little cunt!" I growled – a thicker lash of lightning struck the cigarette this time and it flashed into flame and I dropped it immediately. OK, that had been… too much anger? Too loud? I pulled out a third cigarette, glared at it and hissed;
"Fuck you!" and this time the end lit as a thin blue streak leapt through the air. "Hah!" I said triumphantly and put it in my mouth. A scraggly blue and gold butterfly thrashed sickeningly in front of me before winking out. I stared at where it had been. A blue butterfly? Well, blue and gold, but still – blue. There was the noise of the door opening and I heard voices.

"… be so sure about that. He said this is a place where humans go to get better" whoever was speaking sounded tired. Wait… had they said 'humans'?

"Pfah! Ancient tech, not even fit for garbage disposal!" a different, grumpy sounding nasal voice. "Using radiation to penetrate their carbon based bodies to see inside! It's barbaric! Not to mention inefficient" I froze up. It was them! I turned around slowly. A very short green clad person with a triangle of yellow hair and a taller one, slim and with blue skin in a dress were walking away from me to the other side of the roof. "If he's so 'damaged', why doesn't he just retreat into his gem?!"

"He's only half gem…" the blue one said worriedly.

"So!? He's still got one! Got more powers than me without even trying" the tiny green gem ended in a mumbling grumble and her shoulders sagged. The blue one reached out to put a hand on the green ones shoulder, but hesitated and grabbed her own wrist behind her back instead. "I don't get to see him for weeks because of Ja – her 'needing time'" she did sarcastic air quotes. "Bah! Why does she get to see Amethyst all the time too?! Just because she's a quartz…"

The blue gem remained silent and had tensed up when the green one had begun to say what I assumed had meant to be Jasper's name.

"You know she's shacked up with a human now, right? Amethyst told me the other day. I couldn't believe my flipping ears. Her! And a fucking organic!"

"What?" the blue one said, stopping in her tracks and looking at the green one.

"I know right! Some human called 'Kerida' or something, pff…" she was talking about me! Please don't turn around…

"The one who… brought her here?" the blue one sounded strange.

"Apparently" the green one began sarcastically. "They're 'disgustingly cute' together" she made more air quotes. "Bleh! It's disgraceful! The Kindergarten Quartz That Could – with one of them" she waved a small arm to indicate all of humanity. "I mean she's the worst, but come on, show some self-respect…"

"… Cute…" the blue one said faintly. Something hard came over her features and she looked up into the sky. "Let's go home" she mumbled and there was a weird sound and pale blue wings expanded from the tear drop shaped gem on her back. That must be her. That must be Lapis… 'We could fly…' echoed in my head. She bent down so the green one could climb onto her back – so that must be Peridot then… Lapis beat her wings with a wooshing sound and they took off fast, Peridot letting out a mewling whine that faded as they moved further away. I felt my knees give way and I sagged to the ground. They hadn't seen me, hadn't thought to turn around… My heart was beating so fast! I clutched at it as I felt a wave of nausea threaten to overwhelm me. I breathed deeply and began to sing my calm down song. I had to repeat it four times, because the anxiety kept spiking. Finally calm I went inside to say a quick hi to Steven, and if Greg wasn't ready to go yet I'd take a cab home.

I was moving fast through the corridor and nearly ran into Greg as he rounded a corner.

"Oh! Hi, I've been looking for you – Doctor Andersen said you were probably having a smoke. Steven's pretty beat now so we should let him rest, would you mind seeing him tomorrow instead?"

"No, no, that's fine" I said, trying to keep my voice calm. Perfect. Let's get the fuck out of here. As we passed Steven's room I threw an eye in there – Steven was lying on his side, one hand on the pillow with Pearl's gem on it. The sweetness of the moment wasn't enough to distract me from the thoughts rolling around in my head. Greg and I walked out of the hospital and sat down in the van.

"What's up Erica, you seem… upset?" he asked carefully. Shit. Could I use the 'I'm in pain' excuse again? No, that wouldn't work. I desperately wanted to talk to someone about what I had overheard, but not with Greg…

"I… don't want to talk about it" with you, I added in the privacy of my own head.

"Oh, OK. No worries" he started the van and turned on the radio. We sat in awkward silence for a while. Was I being rude? He was giving me a ride after all. I swallowed hard and tried to think of something to talk about.

"So… how's the car wash going?" I asked stiffly.

"Fine, fine…" more awkward silence. Well, fuck. At least I had tried. Thankfully the ride wasn't that long. I thanked him and he said he'd be by tomorrow at the same time. When he drove off I looked at the time; it was only half past two. Jasper probably wouldn't be home for hours yet. I went into the house to check, but it was empty. Shit. Could I call my best friend? No, it was the middle of the night where she was… Fuck! Parker then? No… same situation essentially. Maybe Garnet was in the temple? Maybe she knew where Jasper and Amethyst had gone. And I could pick up a new lighter on the way there. I set off at a brisk pace, plugging in my headphones and putting on some calming music. It didn't help much. I bought a lighter in the grocery store and headed toward the beach, lighting a cigarette as I walked.

When I reached the temple I was sweating slightly. A lot. I was sweating a lot. I pounded on the door and waited for a long time, but no one came.

"Shit!" I cursed, green and blue sparks coming with it. There was a heavy creak of the stairs behind me and I turned around hopefully. "Gar- huh? Lion?!"

*The last part of the scene was inspired by 'Side-step' by airandangels. Check out their work – it's excellent! And so very, very NSFW ;)

^This is of course referring to the episode 'Alone at sea'. In this fanfic, they still went on the boat trip, but didn't meet Jasper, obviously. They drove the boat back to shore safely. Since Lapis didn't meet Jasper, her character development is somewhere around 'Hit the Diamond'.

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