Wow I FINALLY posted! I didn't abandon this fic, I bet I had you a lil scared though. Lol. I was feeling REALLY stuck with this chapter, but I broke through my writers block and I have most of the next chapter written!
(Steven's perspective)
Steven and Connie walked past the gates of Little Homeworld and Steven pointed to the top of the tower. Connine looked up and saw Lapis looking over the horizon.
"I wonder what she's doing." Connie looked at Steven.
"Well, let's go ask!" They walked to the tower and started climbing the long spiraling stairs upwards. Once they reached the top Steven pushed the door open and they both walked out on the roof.
The fan blades swooped around slowly and made a gentle breeze brush their faces.
"Not now guys." Lapis didn't look up, but Steven and Connie didn't move. Steven walked a little closer before Lapis stood up and spun around, "Please I just-" Her eyes widened. "Steven!" She lunged into a hug.
"Are you ok, Lapis?" Connie placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Yeah, yeah." She let out a long exhale, "How'd you get back here? Did Garnet find you?"
"No, Connie did!" Steven smiled and looked at Connie, his eyes full of gratitude, "I came here to see if Peridot had finished her communication device."
"I'll take you to her." Lapis held out a hand to each of them and formed her wings. She flew them over Little Homeworld and swooped down to the greenhouse.
"Peridot made a workstation attached to the greenhouse, she's probably in there." Lapis dropped them off right outside the greenhouse door, "I'll be back, I'm just gonna get Bismuth. She'll want to say hi!" She spiraled upwards and away.
Connie opened the door and they were met by a blast of warm, humid air. Steven took a deep breath of the air. It smelled like damp moss and ceramic pots. They walked past the plants to the second door in the back. Steven knocked on the door.
"Come in!" Peridot's voice rang through the door. Steven stepped through the door and saw Peridot sitting on a bench tinkering with something. "My watering system is almost done!" Peridot said proudly without turning around. Steven looked at Connie and smiled. Steven crept closer and tried to hold in a laugh by not breathing.
"So what does it do?" Steven asked peeking over Peridot's shoulder. Peridot squeaked and jumped, falling out of her chair.
"Steven!?" Peridot hopped back up and leaped into a hug.
"Ah, geez." Steven laughed, "Sorry for making you fall."
"It's no problem." Peridot crossed her arms and puffed out her chest, "What are you doing back anyway?" She smiled.
"Connie found me and brought me back so I could grab a few things." Steven explained, "And I was wondering if you had finished your communicator?"
"As a matter of fact I have!" Peridot scampered across the room and opened a plastic box. She proudly pulled out a device that looked like an old flip phone.
"See, you can open it like this." She flipped the cover open, "And it has two screens. One that can communicate with human cellular phones, and the other screen is for contacting gem tech!"
"That's really cool Peridot!" Connie looked at the device and held it, "What are you gonna call it?"
"Ok ok get this." Peridot cleared her throat, "So it's human tech and gem tech fused together. So I'm going to call it 'The Fusion Phone'!" Peridot shouted.
"That hilarious Peridot!" Steven laughed, "I was wondering if you had one I could use? None of the phones in Oregon seem to reach Beach City." Steven rubbed the back of his neck.
"I find that highly unlikely… There must be something else going on." Peridot paced in a circle, "But yes, you can use it."
"So how does it work?" Connie asked while handing it to Steven. Peridot showed Steven how to use it and explained that, because his phone was shattered, he would need to get all new contacts.
"That won't be hard." Steven said, "I'll get Connie's number and can you send me a list of everyone's numbers?" He turned to Connie, giving her the phone again.
"Yeah!" She typed in her number and gave it back.
"Wait, I need a contact picture!" Steven turned the camera on and Connie stuck out her tongue, making a silly face.
"Wow Peridot, the camera on this is amazing!" Connie peared over Steven's shoulder to see the picture.
"I know. It was too hard to get. I'm not sure why the camera's on your phone's aren't all that good." She said proudly. There was a strong knock on the door before it swung open. Bismuth walked through the door, Lapis closely behind.
"See! I told you he was back!" Lapis said matter-of-factly. Bismuth grabbed Steven and Connie in a tight hug. Steven heard his back pop.
"Bis, you're gonna break them!" Peridot said jokingly. Bismuth let go and they both gasped for air.
"Lapis said you found him stranded in Oregon?" Bismuth asked Connie.
"I wouldn't say stranded." Connie laughed.
"Well I'm glad I got to see you before you took off again!" Bismuth ruffled Steven's hair.
"Oh yeah!" Steven suddenly remembered that he had to be back before dark, "We should probably go actually."
"Alright, be safe this time!" Bismuth smiled, a tear in the corner of her eye.
"Do we have to say good-bye again?" Peridot whimpered.
"You don't have to say it." Steven said hugging Peridot. Bismuth, Lapis, and Connie joined the hug.
A few minutes later, Steven and Connie left. Steven put the Fusion Phone in his pocket. Lion was waiting outside and he looked up when they walked towards him.
"Ok, I have a new Phone. I just need to run back to the house, say good-bye, and grab some clothes and my backup medication. Which I think is actually in Lion's mane." Steven counted off a finger for each item on his list. Steven pulled himself onto Lion's back and offered his hand to Connie. She took his hand and he pulled her up behind him.
Lion began to run back, he only liked portalling if he needed to. Connie had her arms wrapped around Steven's chest. They rode on in silence. Steven's head was still buzzing. I should see if they have headache meds at the house...
"Are you ok?" Connie's voice cut into Steven's thoughts. He didn't realize, but he was holding his head.
"Yeah, I have a killer headache." He sat up straight and put his hand down. Steven spun around to face Connie. "Connie? Are you ok?" He asked when they passed the spot where Steven first talked to Connie from Gravity Falls.
"What? Yeah, of course." Connie laughed. She's lying. Steven gave her a look to tell her that he knew she was lying.
"Steven. I'm seriously fine now. I'll admit, I wasn't before. I kept thinking of everything that could have happened to you. But now that I know you're safe I'm better." She smiled honestly. "If I wasn't ok I would tell you."
"Promise?" Lion stopped in front of the house and Steven hopped off.
"I promise, Steven." She jumped down and grabbed his hand and squeezed it. They walked up to the house again and through the door. Pearl and Garnet were sitting on the couch and talking, while Amethyst was digging through the fridge.
"Sup Stevo?" Amethyst slammed the fridge shut, a carton of orange juice in her hand.
"Steven, what else do you need before you leave?" Garnet asked.
"Just some clothes, which are all ready in a box upstairs." Steven said heading upstairs. Connie stayed down and started talking about the Fusion Phone. Steven's head rang and he could barely hear himself think when he got upstairs.
He stopped, bracing himself on the wall and took a deep breath, only focussing on his breathing. Within seconds the ringing went away and Steven picked up the box. He brought it downstairs and he stepped right outside onto the deck where Lion was laying down.
He put the box in Lion's mane and double checked to make sure the extra bottle of meds was there. It was.
"You should leave now, Steven." Pearl said when he got inside, "It's getting dark." Her eyes were watering and Steven stepped forward to give her a hug.
"I'll call you guys soon. Thank you for the letter… It was nice." Garnet and Amethyst hugged Steven.
They waved goodbye as Steven and Connie got on Lion's back.
"Alright Buddy, take me back to Gravity Falls now." Steven pat Lion's front leg. Lion let out a roar and leapt through his portal. He slid out in front of the Mystery Shack. The sun was setting over the tree's, making everything look orange and pink.
"I'll call you tomorrow." Steven smiled at Connie as he hopped down.
"And we'll have to meet up for breakfast again soon!" Connie leaned over and kissed Steven's forehead, "Stay safe, ok?"
"I'll try." Steven said, reaching into Lion's mane and pulling out his box.
"You've got everything?"
"Yup! I'll see you soon." Steven waved goodbye. Lion leapt through another portal, Steven walked onto the porch, and knocked on the door.
Thank you for reading! You're super amazing and inspire me to keep writing!
Also...
I wonder what Steven would think of Rodney.