AN: Welcome to the last chapter! Thank you for your patience - adulthood is gross and my job is demanding. I may have projected my exhaustion a little too strongly, because I sent the kids to a corny parody of Disneyland for the last chapter. XD I was already halfway done when I realized I probably could have come up with a better setting, but I went with it and here we are. For those who are not Disney fans, there are "hidden Micky's" all over any park you go to, whether in the tile, on the rides - literally everywhere. You'll understand why I'm explaining this very soon.

Enjoy!

Chapter 20: Epilogue

Spinel was vibrating with excitement. She glanced impatiently at her friend, leaning against the wall of their chosen hiding place, one hand in his pocket and the other thumbing a text.

"Is she on her way? Is Um Greg coming? Is anyone else coming? Are we almost ready to go? Does my form look human enough for this or should I change again?" Steven chuckled at Spinel's impatience.

"Yes, later, unfortunately not, yes, and you look great,"he answered, counting off his fingers, "My dad said he hit major traffic on the way. He'll meet up with us for dinner. Lapis, Bismuth and Peridot were going to try to fly here, but Peridot can't carry Bismuth that fast for that long, and Lapis got pulled away for a Little Homeworld flooding emergency. So it'll just be you, me, and Connie for most of the day."

That could be awkward. Spinel wouldn't say so out loud, but the fact remained. She pushed away those thoughts. Today was supposed to be fun. Steven had been talking about nothing else for weeks, after all. It didn't matter if Spinel was going to be a potential third wheel on a very awkward date. If Steven was happy, she was happy. Spinel peaked around the corner for the hundredth time to distract herself from starting down an unhelpful thought spiral.

"There's a lotta people out there, Steven,"she said, stretching her arms out into heaping, boneless piles, "You sure I'll fit in out there?" She wouldn't be able to stretch much for the rest of the day, so she was trying to get it all out beforehand.

"Relax. Humans on this side of the country may not have any exposure to gems yet, but everyone's dressed up anyway, and they're going to be too busy having fun to notice anything…inorganic about you. All you need to do is not use your powers and you'll blend right in. And if you don't - Beach City fell in love with their Little Homeworld neighbors pretty easily. They'll love you, too." Spinel groaned, unconvinced. Anxiously, she pulled down on the edges of the dress she had shapeshifted into for the day. She rarely needed shapeshifting, but Steven said she could change back in a 'bathroom' if she got tired, and it seemed like a fun idea at the time to dress up for the occasion. She had transformed her shorts into a knee length skirt with suspenders, and her shoulder pads were once again circular. Her hair was the same, only brushed and detangled. Steven was disappointingly underdressed, wearing only a t-shirt with a Babs Bunny silhouette above the park logo and his usual jeans and sandals.

As for what they were dressing up for…

Among the many activities Spinel loved doing with Steven on the road, nothing beat watching the vintage rubber-hose cartoons Steven had found on Tubetube. Now, whether on Steven's phone or if they were lucky enough to get a working tv in one of the motels Steven occasionally went to sleep, she and Steven always spent some time together watching Daffy Dame, Gerald Gent, and Barb Bunny avoid mischief and make some of their own. "Steven, they move around just like me!"she remembered exclaiming excitedly to him the first time he had shown them to her. It was only natural that when Steven brought up the fact that the largest theme park in the country was devoted to the popular franchise, Spinel would be ecstatic to go.

She didn't realize Steven would also use the opportunity to invite all his friends to go, too. She couldn't help but be disappointed that she would have to share him, but of course Steven wanted to share the opportunity with as many friends and family that could come. The park was a five-hour drive from an abandoned gem temple – further than Steven had anticipated. Steven had gotten to spend most of the day catching up with his family yesterday at the temple, but whether or not anyone could make such a trip so far out today was still to be decided. This morning Spinel thought they would be going with a large group, but apparently now it was just…

A window of light suddenly appeared before them, and out of the portal jumped Steven's pink Lion with Connie. Spinel watched with a strange mix of emotions as Steven ecstatically ran toward his girlfriend, floating weightlessly off the ground for a moment in his happiness to see her.

"Connie!"Steven exclaimed as he ecstatically threw his arms around her, "You're finally here!" Connie hugged him back tightly. Spinel felt her insides churn with unwanted, unpleasant emotions to see it. The loving look they shared with one another was interrupted by a slimy pink tongue licking the side of Steven's face.

"Lion! I missed you, too, buddy! I knew you'd be able to find me all the way out here on the yellow coast,"Steven laughed, wrapping his arms around as much of the furry creature as he could manage. The giant cat purred happily.

Connie beamed and waved to Spinel.

"Hey Spinel! You look so cute! You ready to have some fun?"

"O-oh, yeah! You uh, look pretty dapper yourself,"Spinel complimented. Connie was dressed in a flared navy and white sailor dress, reminiscent of one of Spinel's favorite characters from the cartoon series.

"I'm so excited! The park has over forty rides, and every hour, there's a different side show in each subsection. Plus, there's hidden Barb Bunnies all over inside. They say the person who finds all fifty gets a secret prize, and you get your name put up in guest services!"Connie shared excitedly. Steven tried to sit up from Lion fully lying on top of him.

"And Connie is determined to find them all, so be prepared to make a few pitstops,"he made out from a mouthful of pink mane.

"A treasure hunt! Sounds fun!"Spinel beamed. The day was already promising to be more exciting than Spinel anticipated. A potentially awkward trio aside, Spinel was eager to get going.

After a tearful goodbye to Lion and some reassurance for Spinel's sake that yes they were all going to stay together, the trio set off toward the park entrance.

"Are you sure this is tied on right, Steven?"Spinel asked him for what wouldn't be the last time that day. Steven looked like he was trying not to make a face as they passed through the security line.

"I know it was my idea, but now that we're here…you sure you don't want to just hold my arm, Spinel?...The family up ahead is using the same thing for their toddler." Spinel shook her head.

"Y'know I'd normally take any opportunity to hold your arm, but I do really like this thing. I can't get separated even if I tried!" She adjusted the strap around her waist, missing Steven's embarrassed groan. Just for today, she was sporting a harness around her middle that was attached like a leash to Steven's backpack – to prevent them from being separated. As soon as Steven (very hesitantly) presented the idea, she knew a day away from home with hoards of strangers was feasibly possible, and she was nothing but grateful that Steven was so accommodating to her needs – even if he was absolutely mortified at the idea of walking around all day with it.

It was easy to forget any lingering uneasiness once they were inside. Three pairs of eyes widened to see such spectacular sights, and in an instant, excitement kicked in tenfold and suddenly the trio were overwhelmed by the endless possibilities for the day. Ever sensible, Connie was the first to suggest getting directions. They spent a while on a bench in front of a gift shop making tentative plans with a map spread out between them, ogling at the available rides and attractions and bantering pleasantly about where to go first.

They moved through the park at a slow pace, taking their time to marvel at all the shops, music, characters, and decor, stopping occasionally to help Connie with her hidden bunny quest. Spinel worried that ride seating arrangements might prove awkward if there wasn't room for all of them, but Connie continued to surprise her with her kindness, offering to take turns sharing Steven, and even inviting Spinel to sit with her sometimes, too.

"I need to use the little men's room,"Steven announced after they had come off of a particularly exciting roller coaster that Spinel was still reeling from, "Connie, would you mind staying with Spinel?"

"Sure,"she agreed easily. The leash had earned them some looks throughout the day, but Spinel didn't care – it had saved her from getting separated too many times to count already, and she was glad to have it. Steven unclipped himself and handed his end over to Connie.

"I'm just going to be in the bathroom for a few minutes,"he said, directing his attention toward Spinel, "I'll come out the same way I go in so you know where to look for me. Are you going to be okay?" Spinel nodded with a shy smile.

"Yeah, I'll be okay. Thanks,"she said, but the words came out so much more casual than she felt. Steven was so good to her, she was reminded so often.

Spinel watched him follow a few other humans into the reststop area with a faint echo of panic working in her chest. She looked somewhat anxiously over at Connie, pushing the anxiety away with a quick run through of everything she could see around her that was blue – something that Steven had taught her from his therapy sessions.

Connie sat down on the edge of a wall planter, kicking her legs a little back and forth. Spinel bit her lip worriedly, not knowing what to say now that they were alone. The human was sweet like Steven, but Spinel couldn't deny the feeling of unease she carried all day. She didn't want to feel uneasy around Connie. She was so nice to Spinel – and Spinel of all gems knew that genuinely nice people were not to be taken for granted. But she couldn't deny that her uneasiness intensified whenever she saw Steven addressing Connie specifically, knowing that the way his eyes softened and his lips instinctively turned upward in a smile was just for her. Spinel didn't have a lot of experience with jealousy, and Connie was difficult to dislike to begin with. But Spinel couldn't deny the subtle loneliness she felt behind all of the fun and happiness today.

"Hey, Spinel." Spinel nearly jumped out of her form when Connie's voice suddenly yanked her out of her thoughts.

"Oh, uh, yeah?"she asked, shaking her head a little back into focus.

"I just wanted to say, I know we've mostly just known each other through Steven…,"Connie started, casting the gem a shy look, "But I've been having a lot of fun with you today." Spinel blinked, then broke out into a smile.

"You're pretty swell, yourself!"Spinel grinned, "It's real neat, having a human friend. Never thought I'd have one." Connie giggled.

"Same. I didn't have any friends before I met Steven, but now I get to brag to my class about how I have long distance friends all the way from outer space!" Spinel gawked, raising a brow.

"Wait, you didn't have any friends?"Spinel laughed, "Seriously? The first time we met, you jumped out of a portal on a magic lion holding a giant sword. You're way too cool not to be drowning in friends."

"No, I was actually alone for most of my life, just like you,"Connie answered, shifting her eyes to the Daffy Dame stickers she had pasted on her shoes, "Meeting Steven changed that…" Connie absently rubbed her shoes together, looking indecisive about something. Suddenly she whipped out her phone, intently texting something quick before putting it away with a sigh.

"Um, I asked Steven to take a lap when he's done. He's definitely coming back, don't worry! I just…needed to get this off my chest,"Connie explained. Spinel felt fear prickle unpleasantly in the back of her mind, cold and familiar. Why did Connie want to talk with her alone? Had this been a trap…?

"I just wanted to say… I'm sorry if it felt like I was avoiding you the last few months. Steven told me you've asked about me and even invited me to hang out with you guys more than once. I didn't want you to think I was purposely ignoring you."

"Oh, no biggie. Steven says you're suuuuper busy with your school stuff most of the time,"Spinel answered easily, slightly confused.

"It's just…I know you have feelings for Steven…,"Connie started, glancing nervously up at the pink gem. Spinel froze.

"It took me a while to come to terms with it, but I'm okay now - really. I just…couldn't feel mad, or even annoyed that you guys were spending so much time together, and I didn't understand why. I didn't want to see you until I knew myself…Then I realized I think you and I are kind of the same."

"What do you mean?" Spinel tilted her head to the side.

"When I was young, I had to move towns a lot because of my dad's work. I could never make any friends, because whenever I got close, I'd have to move again. I tried to pretend I was happy, because my dad always told me moving would be fun - like a new adventure, he'd say. That's why I really related to you, when Steven told me what you went through. You couldn't move; I was always moving. You got left behind; and I had to leave people behind. We both ended up feeling really alone and lonely for most of our lives… until Steven came along. So I couldn't be upset, because I know more than anyone how important having a friend like Steven is." Spinel listened intently, taking in what Connie was saying.

"…Do you still feel that way? Lonely, I mean?" Connie thought a moment.

"Maybe a little at first, but not anymore. I remember when Steven and I first started hanging out, I felt like a burden to him a lot, because I was human and he was…well, Steven. But once I started sword training, I felt more secure about my place by his side. I know Steven would have still stuck around no matter what. But it made me feel really good – knowing how to do something that would help him and my home. It made me feel strong, even when I was alone." Spinel stared hard at her shoes, unsure what to say for a long moment. She understood. She had assumed herself a burden as well until Steven began inviting her to spend more time with him. With every laugh she got out of him, she was reminded that she was still fun and put a smile on her friend's faces. She had worth – even if it didn't feel like enough to make him stay, he kept proving time and time again that she was wanted.

"I just wanted to let you know I'm okay now, and I'm really glad we finally got to hang out altogether," Connie finished.

"Really? You're not just saying that?"Spinel asked skeptically, "I am kind of third-wheeling your date…" Connie giggled.

"Don't worry, you're not third-wheeling anything. Steven loves his friends. He was so excited to share this with anyone and everyone that could come – you especially." Spinel smiled at this, looking shyly down at her shoes.

"I didn't know some of the stuff I did made Steven uncomfortable until he started wanting to talk about it after our whole blow-up. I really do try and respect his boundaries now," Spinel started, glancing anxiously up at Connie, "I promised I would never do anything to hurt him ever again, but you were also included in the whole 'trying to destroy the Earth' thing. So you can be included in that promise, too, if that's okay. You've always been real nice to me, and I don't want to do anything to hurt you or make you uncomfortable, either." She tapped her shoes distractedly together, not looking at Connie as she spoke. She was surprised when a small hand suddenly appeared on top of hers.

"Thanks, Spinel. You're a really good friend."

"We're still friends?"

"Of course we are." Spinel froze in surprise when Connie suddenly leaned in to put her arms around her. She was too shocked to hug her back, feeling her face flush with something that felt like embarrassment. Connie hugged her as if Spinel wasn't an Earth-destroying, boyfriend-stealing, pathetic rejected alien who had no business deserving as many second chances as she had gotten. When Connie leaned back, tears prickled uncomfortably in Spinel's eyes and a warmth burned hot in her gem.

"Am I safe to butt in, now?"Steven's voice suddenly cut through the silence that had fallen between the two. Both turned to see the boy in question sheepishly holding up two churros and a box of pop rocks. Spinel quickly wiped her tears, only for a wave of relief to threaten them to return. Every time he left and came back, it felt like a piece of her abruptly snapped back into place.

"I brought us snacks,"Steven offered, looking worriedly between the two but deciding not to push. He handed the second churro to Connie and the candy to Spinel. Connie cast a questioning look at Spinel.

"You don't like churros?"

"We've done our homework and realized Spinel prefers fun textures over tastes,"Steven explained matter-of-factly. Spinel turned the box around curiously before opening it.

"Pop…rocks? Is this supposed to be some pun about"- She paused as she shoved a handful in her mouth, tiny hearts floating comically in her eyes. "I don't remember what I was saying but this is my new favorite thing."

"I knew you'd like them,"Steven chuckled.

Connie bit thoughtfully into her churro as she watched Spinel attack the box with newfound vigor.

"Why don't you guys do the next ride without me? This area supposedly has three hidden bunnies that are notoriously hardest to find, and I kind of like the idea of a challenge. I might spend some time scouting the area by myself,"Connie suggested.

"You don't want help?"Steven asked.

"I think I want the satisfaction of knowing I found the hardest ones on my own. I'll meet up with you guys later,"Connie encouraged. Connie's eyes landed on Spinel with a smile and a wink. A beat, and then Spinel realized what she was doing. Spinel felt her gem warm with appreciation for the human girl.

"Okay, if you're sure. What do you say, Spinel? We're right by the ferry, and they're loading. Want to take a quick lap around the river and come help Connie bunny hunt after?" Spinel looked toward the 'ferry' Steven was referring to. A large white structure floated above the water, large enough to carry a hundred or so humans.

"Yeah, let's do it! Lead the way, bargeman!" They waved to Connie before heading to the dock where the boat was loading. Spinel had seen the ferry go by several times throughout the day when they walked along the river. The 'river' was less of a river and more of a narrow water channel that looped around the park. She knew from seeing it pass throughout the day that this wasn't meant to be a particularly fast or thrilling ride. But it was all new, and it was with Steven, so she pulled him along eagerly nonetheless.

They were the last to be let on, and Spinel excitedly suggested they move to the prow of the boat where they could see. 'Be on the lookout for our park friends hiding near the water!' the ticketmaster had reminded them. Now it was a game. Spinel practically dragged Steven toward the front.

"The ground is moving!"Spinel exclaimed when the boat took off, instinctively grabbing onto Steven's arm to steady herself. She looked around and was glad to see she wasn't the only one laughing off the sudden lack of balance.

A firm hand came around to support her back, safe and grounding. Warmth pooled in the center of Spinel's gem as Steven guided her to the nearest railing. The cool autumn wind brushed pleasantly past them, carrying the pungent smell of recycled water and pond fish. Spinel smiled at the cartoon cutouts arranged in various scenes hiding in the passing foliage.

"This is nice. It's like a large-scale game of I-Spy. Or it can just be a peaceful boat ride,"Steven said with a tired sigh, "Today's been so much fun, but I didn't realize this place really is like Funland ten times over. I'm pretty beat." Spinel normally would have teased him for his human limitations, encouraged him to play the game with her, but something in his eyes gave her pause.

"Maybe I needed a break, too,"she acknowledged softly. Steven looked at her.

"Yeah? You pushed yourself out of your comfort zone pretty hard today." Spinel beamed.

"I did, didn't I?"she acknowledged proudly, "I would have been pretty paranoid all day if it weren't for this thing." She gave the harness around her middle a little tug.

"Still makes me feel weird, but I guess it was for the best, if it made you feel more comfortable. There's so much here to get distracted by – even I can admit we might have avoided a bad situation more than once. I lost count of how many times we nearly lost Connie in the crowd because of how often she asked to stop and we didn't hear her over the music."

"I'm alright here on the boat. I can take it off if you don't like it,"Spinel offered, unclipping herself before she had time to think too hard about it. His eyes betrayed his surprise as she resolutely handed the contraction back to him. "…I trust you." A momentary beat of silence passed when both realized the level of faith she was giving in such an act. Spinel felt her cheeks flush under Steven's knowing stare.

"You've grown a lot, you know that?"Steven noted with a smile.

"You think so?" Steven nodded.

"Definitely. I know you were nervous about being so far from home and of being separated, but look at you – the day's half over and you're still smiling." Steven's arm brushed hers, warm and distracting.

"I-I knew I didn't have to worry as long as I'm with you,"she managed to say. The wind gently tousled his hair as the boat cut evenly through the water, and Spinel caught herself staring a moment longer than maybe was appropriate.

"You've grown, too, you know,"she said, if only for an excuse to fill the silence, "…I can't quite put my finger on it, but you seem…happier, I think." Steven smiled at her, real and genuine.

"I am. I don't really know what's next for me, but it doesn't feel like a big, scary unknown anymore. I've got a lot to see and do along the way, and I've still got all my friends. Therapy has been going really great, and…well, it's easier to not blame myself for my mistakes if I get the chance to make the people I hurt happy." He punctuated his by placing his hand gently on top of Spinel's head. She broke out into a huge smile at the gesture, reaching her arms up and folding them over his hand to keep him there. Self-control be damned – she loved any form of affection Steven had to give her.

"Hee hee, they're very happy,"she agreed with a grin. Her thumb curled around his without thinking. She was rewarded with a few extra precious seconds of contact before he moved again.

"Oh, I can't believe I forgot to send this to you yesterday from my family meetup! I want to show you something." Steven retracted his hand from her grasp to pull out his phone, much to Spinel's disappointment.

"Amethyst brought it to surprise me,"he said, letting her see his screen. Spinel peered down at a picture of a smiling Steven holding a familiar potted plant, a single bud emerging out of thick, healthy leaves. Her eyes widened as she realized what she was looking at.

"Is this…?"

"It's the plant you gave me last year. I almost took it with me when I was first starting out on my road trip, but Garnet hinted that it wouldn't be a good idea. So I asked Pearl to watch over it while I was gone. I figured it would let me know for itself when it was ready to start growing." Spinel stared at the picture, looking not at the plant, but at Steven. It was a snapshot in time of a version of Steven that looked so subtly different than the one she had met, only Spinel – a being who was a little too practiced at measuring the passage of time – could see the difference. In Steven's smile there was peace instead of loneliness, and an excitement for adventure in his eyes that hadn't been there before. Spinel's whole being seemed to warm with adoration just to see it.

"That's a pretty happy flower, to grow that much when it's got all the time in the world,"Spinel acknowledged with a faint smile.

"Well it knew it had a friend across the galaxy who believed in it, so it probably figured it ought to try,"he answered softly. Spinel felt her face flush involuntarily as Steven pocketed his phone, feeling light-headed from the sudden wave of love she felt for him. His hand hovered over her fingers and she immediately opened her hand to him, like a reflex she didn't need to question, it felt so natural.

"…Can I say it? Even if it's kinda weird, because we're… y'know, alone?"Spinel asked anxiously, "I promise I don't mean it weird. I mean I do, but I can also mean it not weird, too. You know what, never mind, I just made it actually weird, so"-

-"Spinel, it's fine,"Steven laughed good naturedly, "I love you, too." It was ridiculous, how warmth bloomed so quickly in her chest that tears prickled behind her eyes and her voice suddenly left her. Stars, did she love hearing that.

"Me too,"she finally made out, "I love you so much, Steven." Could he hear how much she meant it? She hoped he knew. His hand came around to grasp her arm in an unassuming side hug, his cheek pressed against the top of her head. Her arms came around him in an instant, closing her eyes as she pressed herself against his warmth. When she opened them, she noticed there was something distinctly familiar about the formation of the trees across the river bank.

"…Bunny?"

"What?"

"Bunny! A hidden bunny! In the trees!" Spinel was practically shouting now, bouncing excitedly and making indeterminate gestures toward the foliage.

"Where?"

"Oh my stars, Steven, they twisted the branches into a rabbit, now hurry up and take a picture! We've got to show Connie so she can get her…whatever she's trying to win!"

"I still don't see it!"

"STEVEN! CONNIE NEEDS A PICTURE!"

Their antics ended up with Spinel climbing on Steven's shoulders to get a better view, frantically trying to open the camera app before the boat passed their opportunity. Steven wobbled unsteadily as he held Spinel's legs, his bearing already unbalanced from the up and down movement of the boat. Park employees were yelling at them to get down, and other guests were beginning to voice their concern as well. The boat hit a wave at a particularly hard angle, and then-

"We got put on the banned list,"Spinel finished explaining to Connie ten minutes later. Her pigtails still dripped with excess water, but she was grinning nonetheless.

"For falling into the river?!"

"No, for 'reckless violation of safety guidelines,'"Steven clarified with a shameless grin. His hair dried quickly, but his clothes were soaked through, and he would probably have to purchase overly priced replacements from a gift shop if he didn't want to freeze while he waited for them to air-dry.

"Worth it!"Spinel sang, spinning in a circle before gleefully pulling her phone out of her gem, "Look what we fooooound!" It was a miracle Spinel had thought to reflexively put the phone away before she fell in, but it was worth it to see the look on Connie's face now.

"Oh my gosh. You guys went swimming in the river for a photo?"

"Sure did!"Steven grinned.

"This is…amazing! You guys are the best!"Connie laughed, "With the three I found while you two were gone, and this, I think that means we have…all of them!"

"All of them?!"Spinel echoed, practically vibrating with excitement.

"All of them!"Connie laughed.

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's go get your prize!"

The three sprinted all the way back to the entrance of the park where guest services was, whooping and hollering and drawing a few too many stares – soaking wet as two of them were. The two humans were out of breath when they arrived at guest services. They weren't there for very long, though.

"Disqualified?"Connie echoed incredulously.

"The guidelines are very specific, ma'am. In order to qualify for the reward, no park rules must have been broken to obtain photographic evidence."

"What broken rules?"Spinel popped up from behind Connie, batting her eyes innocently. "Even if Steven and I got a littlereckless, that doesn't mean Connie did. She's a solo operation – nothing to do with us vagrants. Right Steven?" Steven nodded emphatically.

"Connie would never cheat!"Steven added, "We'll go back and she can take her own picture. Then she can qualify by herself, right?" Connie smiled at her friend's attempts to defend her.

"It's okay, guys. I don't want to win if we can't all win together anyway."

"But you can still get your name up,"Steven argued. Connie shrugged with a smile.

"I don't want to if your names aren't next to mine. We found all fifty together, after all. It wouldn't be right not to all get credit." Spinel looked worried.

"You sure?"

"Definitely,"Connie answered immediately, "Besides. We've already won as long as we had fun together, right?" Steven easily agreed, but Spinel didn't know what to say to this. A distant longing tugged at her chest, memories of a wasted garden floating obtrusively to the surface of her mind. Years of loneliness, of distant confusion slowly decaying into anger and resentment. Why would Pink play this game for so long? Weren't games supposed to be fun? Weren't they supposed to be played together? This isn't fun anymore. Was winning more important than Spinel's feelings?

Spinel was quiet when Connie suggested they celebrate their unofficial victory. The tug of the leash around her middle pulled her out of her thoughts as Steven moved to leave, assuming Spinel would follow them. Steven stopped when he felt the resistance, looking back.

"Are you okay?" Spinel looked up to see Steven looking worriedly at her. He knew that dazed look in her eyes by now – had been looking more attentively for it, after that talk a few months back. She shook her head, pulling herself back to the present so as not to worry him. She was getting better at that lately.

"Y-yeah. Dandy like cotton candy."

"Are you sure?" It was like a test, she had noticed. Every time he asked this, Spinel would hold her breath until she could give him the truthful answer that he needed to hear. She didn't have to wait as long this time.

"Yeah,"she said more confidently with a soft smile, "…Just kinda threw me for a sec. That was just… really nice." Steven hesitated, trying to read something in Spinel's expression that she couldn't see. Connie had noticed they had stopped as well and turned back, waiting for them. Then Steven smiled, extending his hand toward her.

"Friends stick together. That's all there is to it." He said it so casually, like it was to be expected. An unspoken promise that Spinel was still trying hard to believe for herself. Her fingers curled around Steven's, reflexive and instinctive. She nodded, willing herself to believe things were that simple. Every day, she was learning what it really meant to be a good friend. She glanced over his shoulder at Connie, offering her a reassuring smile and a thumbs up. Steven wasn't the only one teaching her. She felt so lucky, to have so many people in her life now to show her how she deserved to be treated.

When they caught up with Connie, Steven slipped his free hand that wasn't already holding Spinel's into hers. They walked contently down the boulevard like that, holding hands and bantering pleasantly about their adventures that day. Later, they would celebrate with ice cream and another box of pop rocks for Spinel, and Spinel would find a quiet area to call the diamonds and let them know that they didn't need to worry about her, that she was having a great day, and that she loved them all so much and would be home soon. They'd stop to watch a live band and Spinel would beg Connie and Steven to dance and sing with her, even though they would both be exhausted by then. Spinel wouldn't want this perfect day to ever end.

But for now, Spinel was content for the boy she loved to hold her hand. She was safe, happy, and surrounded by friends, and that was more than she could ever hope for.

After nearly an hour of silent deliberation, she tentatively unhooked herself from her end of the harness and handed it over to Steven to keep for the rest of the evening. She didn't need it. She had friends she could trust now to come get her if she was alone. She met Steven's surprised gaze with resolution in her eyes and a determined smile. She was going to change. She was going to get better. Her future was paved with kindness and love, and for the first time in thousands of years, she was excited to face it.

AN: Thank you so, so much to everyone who has made it to the end with me. I feel truly blessed to have such dedicated readers this long after the show's completion. I'm really happy so many people love these characters as much as I do.

I may continue to sprinkle out some one-chapter fluff drabbles in the future, but with my new job being as demanding as it is, that might not be as frequent as I'd like. Spinel is a very special character to me, and that isn't changing anytime soon. I am planning on a much shorter, multi-chapter fic that can be seen as a sequel of sorts to Making Amends. It's about Connie, Steven, and Spinel navigating a trial period of polyamory. Connie and Steven will both be in their early-mid 20s. It will have more adult themes…sorry kids. I haven't seen very many fics that seriously explore polyamory, and it's something I've always been curious to see if I could pull off respectfully. If you're old enough, check it out when it lands.

Thank you all again! I'm going to go through and edit all the chapters soon. As always, I appreciate your feedback. :)