The wind was getting louder on the temple's windows. The screens scraping the glass as harder gusts hit. Grocery bags came first through the door as wind helped throw it open wide for Pearl. Garnet sat on the couch nodding along to a song through Steven's earbuds, staring at Pearl as she went and set the paper grocery bags on the counter. "Hi, Pearl."

Pearl looked over, taking out a new carton of milk from the bag. "Oh, Garnet. Do you see if Steven will be back?"

"He'll be here in an hour."

Pearl exhaled and smiled. "Thank you, jeez I've been worrying all day." Pearl got out the rest of the cold stuff and put it away, including a hefty turkey, cold to the touch, Garnet was just snapping on the sofa along with her music. Pearl grabbed more from the bags, and when she was done she unraveled herself from her winter gear.

The grocery store was a frantic trip, everybody wanted to say hi, but all Pearl could do was worry. She sent some texts around to friends in the area and crossed off things on the list at the same time, and now as she unloaded all the things she bought she noticed she got loaves of the same bread, she put the second one in the freezer. When she left the store nervous she emerged into the storm and was calm.

She always liked it better when it was cold and even weathering the storm felt like a treat, like being lost in a little universe separate from Beach City. Letting go of Rose felt like that, being lost in a universe, but an awful one. Of course she still hurt, maybe always would, but Rose wasn't the same in her mind. It was awkward. Like having a conversation with someone who wouldn't look you in the eye, maybe couldn't.

Pearl was in a storm now that trying to blow her every which way, but she still had the day to perform. A young man to take care of and a great group of friends, they made it all worth it, even if it felt like they were took some steps backward. Even if it was hard to fight the winds and they'd leave her less graceful, she was sure she'd come out the other end.

She finished putting away the groceries before she even realized it and returned to herself, spacing off into the light wood grain of a cabinet, she blinked. "Is Amethyst back?"

"Yes, she's in her room."

Pearl went over to the couch and let herself fall back on it, exhaling. "I don't want to deal with her right now. She said she'd be back. Today's been exhausting."

"You know you need to work out your issues with us before you can feel better yourself. Get on better terms. Not create distance." She spoke as if some impartial adjudicator, still snapping along with what was in her ears.

"After the holidays. There's too much going on."

"You're right." Garnet stopped snapping. "In ten minutes you should begin baking those brownies for Steven."

"He won't eat them, I buy them but he doesn't eat them anymore."

"He will tonight." The mp3 player clicked, Garnet stopped nodding her head and threw a serious look at Pearl. The shared gaze lingered between the two, but Garnet's eyes still hidden behind her peach visor. She knew something Pearl didn't and it made her nervous. "I'll give you a hand."

"Will you tell me what it is? And thank you. I appreciate the help."

"Trust me, when I say it's better you hear it then rather than now."

Pearl didn't want to leave the couch. "Can I relax a minute? I've been rushing around all day."

"Absolutely." Something clicked and Garnet was nodding her head again with music Pearl couldn't hear. Pearl wanted to hear it but all she could hear was the howling and occasionally the scratch of metal screens against the glass, but that slowed down as she rested, the wind was becoming less severe. Pearl took a peek. Lights found their way through the clouds and to the window. The weather was supposed to be a good on the tail end of today into tomorrow.

Pearl stood up from the little couch and walked over to the cabinets, Garnet watched her as she went and then got up to help. They stripped the cabinets of their supplies and thirty minutes of whisking, stirring, and pouring passed before Amethyst emerged from her room with a yawn. "What time is it?"

Garnet responded flatly pouring the mix into a pan. "Five."

Amethyst rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "Ah jeez. That late? Wait..." Amethyst looked around the living room, checking above at Steven's space, her eyes went wide. "Where's Steven?"

"Don't worry. He'll be back in twenty minutes."

Amethyst let the pressure out in an exhale."That's a relief. After I helped Vidalia with her stuff, I went looking for a few hours." She smiled at the thought of the trash she picked out of the Fishstew pizza's bin. Some gnarly, some tasty, some useful.

"Can't believe Steven has been giving us the run around like this."

Amethyst put a finger under her chin. "Yeah, it's not like Steman." She dropped her and looked nervously at Pearl as she slid the brownie mix into the waiting mouth of the oven. "Yo uh, P."

Pearl stood up straight and wiped her hands on a dishtowel. "Yes, Amethyst?"

"I offloaded extra junk from Vidalia's place that was TOO junky if you know what I mean?" Amethyst gave a half chuckle looking away from Pearl's tired eyes.

"And I think the can might have maybe rolled down the hill."

Garnet put a hand on Pearl's back before she slumped down. "I'll take over brownie duty."

"Thank you, Garnet." Pearl got on her gear for what she hoped was the last time today, and exited the temple with heavy shoulders. She glanced at the setting sun. Pink-orange on the horizon, rays traveling the frigid water top. All that she had carved into the snow had been undone by the passing storm. A new fresh blanket for her to break later. Pearl gulped.

She shook that thought away and walked down their stairs to the snow-covered beach and back up some stairs to the parking lot. Each flight to the cliff felt harder to pull herself up. Till she reached the final rise which went easy like the wind.

The street light above the parking lot's white covered asphalt was on for the coming night. Making the patch of snow stand out against the dim expanse beyond it. A glowing island alone in a sea of shadow. She looked at the barrel's place. The snow on the asphalt walk was thinnest there but there was no barre to be seen.

Beyond the barrel's place was a slope down, the closer half of the slope shimmering in the dim orange sunlight, but the bottom half was bathing in dark, cut off by snow-topped spruces that lined parts of their cliff. Even the trees were shivering in the winds.

Pearl began her way down the slope. In the light negotiating with the snow was easy yet slow going but when she was in the dark she could not see the decline, where the snow would meet her boots but she reached the bottom eventually. Her eyes adjusted to the dark and she could make out the big fuzzy shape of the bin in the black. She went behind it and looked up it at the slope. A good thirty feet to push it up to the top. She gave the bin a push with just her arms but Amethyst had filled it to the brim some time during the day, Pearl could hear circuit boards and the sound of metal junk clinking inside. Pearl took a breather and tried to put on a small smile. Her day was nearly over, you're getting through this.

Pearl pushed it with her arms onto the slope, turning around when it was too hard and using her back. It moved easier up the slope that way, when she needed a rest lodging her boot heels into the snow, makeshift holds. Her phone vibrated in her jacket pocket but she ignored it. She was staring into black most the time. She could only tell how far she was because she could see the line of sunset light out of the corner of her eye. Close to halfway. The bin was heavy on her back, and as she pushed upwards she only had to take more rests more often. Unzipping a few inches of her jacket to let the cold night in.

A throbbing heat cut through her back. The thing was weighing hard on her projection. The air was cold but the light of the setting sun made her sweat. She spoke to the coming night. "The day is almost over." When it hurt she just said it again. It became a mantra with each agonizing step, the only noise besides the wheels of the barrel and her feet crunching the icy snow underneath, with strained steps she smashed her obtuse rubber feet into the snow liked that'd give her relief and strength to keep going. Then sun was finally gone and she was stranded in the dark.

As she struggled her eyes caught something. Headlights cutting the darkness above her head, like a lighthouse beam. An engine died that she had never heard live, and a door clicked opened and clapped shut. Pearl pushed trying to ignore the arrival. She was almost there, she could do this.

A warm rasp calling overhead. "Hello?" Greg's called down, concerned.

"Just a moment, Mr. Universe." Pearl pushed harder and faster, like she needed to get it to the top before he saw her struggling in the dark.

He was walking down, fully outfitted for the weather. "Jeez, what is in that thing?" Pearl looked like she was killing herself to haul it up, breathing heavy, slipping on ice, sweat beading on her brow. "Let me help." She wanted to put up some resistance but the day was long and cold, so she scooched over and they both put their backs against the can and pushed up. It was awkward at first, their pushes out of sync, she almost felt like they were losing ground but then they found a rhythm together, steady and true.

Carrying the weight was easier, so much easier. They only took one rest before the crest of the hill. Greg gave a dorky smile over and sweat rolled down his brow, him wearing a smile as pink and orange light dance on his face. Pearl couldn't help but mirror his odd glee. They got it to the top a short minute later and breathed easy, almost in unison. "I couldn't imagine you doing this by yourself."

"Not the first time, and not the last. Amethyst is going to knock it down in another few days and I'll be left to haul it up again."

"You know, Pearl." Greg gave her a smile. "I could come to help around the temple sometime. You don't have to take care of the place all alone."

"I- well…" Pearl took off her hat to let her head cool. Sweaty hair sticking in the air as small peachy sweet spikes. "It has been getting easier to care of duties but," Steven was a young man, he took more responsibility. "I've been doing it for a long time. Maybe some extra help around the house would be appreciated." She said it with tiredness in her eyes, but also a small smile for him. "Me and Garnet made brownies if you'd like some."

"Are you kidding? I'd love some. I'm starving." Greg rubbed his hands together. "Wait, where's Steven?"

Footsteps hit the snow in the parking lot. They both looked Steven rounded Greg's van in his coat trying to cover his eyes with his arm. "Steven?" Greg turned around to his son.

"Oh no." Pearl put a hand over her mouth.

"I'm s-sorry." Steven looked at them a moment but turned and stomped and stumbled his way down the wooden steps.

Greg ran after his son slipping again and again down the stairs and steadying himself, Pearl only following behind him at a mid-pace, helping him to his feet each time. All three snaking their way through the snow towards the temple as the sun was slowly swallowed below the cold ocean.

Steven was holed up in the bathroom and crying and Amethyst was at the door listening, looking at the two who just burst through the front door. Amethyst stood up. "What in the heck happened?!"

Both Greg and Pearl were panting from the run. Pearl spoke quietly and went up to the bathroom door. "I think Steven might've confessed to somebody today." Greg made a pained face and joined her at the wall before the bathroom. Garnet calmly withdrew the brownies and set them on the counter.

Amethyst knocked at the door. There was no light underneath the threshold. "Hey, Stevaroni?" His chest heaved with the tears, he was sobbing in shadow. Amethyst rubbed at the back of her head and tried to look anywhere but the door. "You can talk to us, ya know that?" But Amethyst didn't really know the course she was heading.

And Steven didn't either, he was still weeping within. Pearl put a gentle hand on Amethyst's shoulder and the gem grumbled before getting up and leaning beside the door to make space for Pearl. Pearl began sweetly. "Steven?"

Only tears. Greg started. "Schtuball?" No response. Steven's pink jacket was over the couch, dripping wet sleeve almost touching the temple floor. Greg whispered putting his back against the frame. "Take as much time as you like."

"Ok, I guess I'll be back later. Text me if you y'all end up watching a movie or something. Peace." Amethyst awkwardly walked backwards into the warp pad and disappeared into the light.

"Sheesh." Pearl shook her head.

Garnet sat down on the couch and went cross-legged. Pearl relaxed against the wood grain of the door frame. Greg peeled off his boots and snow pants to get more comfortable. Underneath rough jean shorts that went down to just below his tan knees, underneath his jacket a black t-shirt with a golden star on it. Pearl took off Connie's scarf, imagined Greg wearing it for half a second and then draped the thing over a wooden arm of their coat rack. She sat back down next to the door and listened to Garnet softly drumming her hands.

Steven was still crying, but it had grown softer with time. Now only gentle swells of tears came. "Shtuball?"

"D-dad."

"Yeah?"

Steven pressed his head against the wood of the door. "I'm so fucking stupid." He hit himself in the chin. He felt like crumbling.

"Oh, don't say that."

Feet shuffled, the bathroom door opened and Steven fell out of the darkness. Greg rose and caught his son. "Ah jeez.." Greg supported Steven as they walked to the couch. Steven fell back onto it, Garnet made room around Steven to lay down, and he did. He sniffled and whimpered quietly, tears falling down the side of his face, shielding his eyes from the light with his forearm.

It pained Pearl to see Steven like this. "You wanna tell us about what happened?"

"Uh, not really." He chuckled through tears knowing he'd have to spill the beans.

Pearl sat on the arm of the couch at Steven's feet "Was it Jenny?"

Steven gulped and nodded. "How'd you know?"

"Connie came by in the morning to tell me you had a snow day and she gave me a hint on what you might be happening."

"Well, none of that fucking matters anymore." He dug into his eyes with his palms, wet eyes, red at the edges and leaking tears.

"Tell us what happened, Shtuball."

"I went out this morning. Went to school, pulled on the school's front door and realized it was a snow day, but I promised today would be the day. So I went to her house and knocked on the door, her dad answered at first, but me and Jenny talked, for I don't know how long, hours, way too long." He chuckled. "She's the gentle, m-most caring but she- but she-"

Garnet spoke. "She turned you down."

Steven nodded again, his head quivering in pain, upper jaw shaking without permission. "I'm so sorry." Greg held his head, rocking him back and forth, caressing his curls. Tear in the father's eyes. Pearl knelt beside the couch and had Steven's hand, rubbing her thumb against his palm, wet with tears. The storm was in his body, and it was passing slowly. At some point Garnet hit the lights and disappeared.

The only light in the room was from the oven's digital clock and the porch light. The only sound was Greg's stories. About highschool heartbreaks, about how he felt better, how time took care of him. Pearl spoke of Rose, of the Diamond who'd never look at Pearl how she did her. How she never spoke her love, and how she wondered if the looks she gave were ever enough. "You're brave, Steven, something I wasn't."

"I'm just stupid."

"For wanting to tell someone you care about that you care about them? Kiddo, Pearl's right. You're a lot of things but stupid isn't one of them."

"I don't know." Steven laughed. "I had so many dreams."

"And you will have more. Someone'll come into your life and be a light you may love." She brushed aside his dark tresses, with tears on the edge of her eyes, smiling. "You were my light after Rose." She thumbed away his tears. "But it all takes time."

"Can you two stay with me tonight? I don't wanna be alone."

"There's no other place we'd rather be, kiddo, believe us."

They sat awhile, Steven sometimes going back into intermittent sobs. Greg spoke up. "I know its a bit late, but do you want to watch that movie?"

"Uh, no, but earlier did I smell… brownies?"

Pearl chuckled. Garnet did her part. "Let me get you a napkin."

"Some milk?"

The final duty of the day, she'd only do for Steven. "Of course."

Steven sat up and hugged his knees to his chest. Occasionally taking nervous nibbles of brownie and dipping it in the small glass of milk. The three conversing in the lowlight. Greg went on casually about every single break up, an unrequited love, and all the pain following. Everything up till the day he met Rose at that show.

Pearl talked about all the times she had been tempted to confess Rose her love, and the moment she realized it was too late. A beautiful child was coming into the world. Steven finished his brownie, taking a final sip of his milk for the night, lying with his head in his father's lap, and soon a quiet settled between the three, the only sound was the tick of a clock obscured in shadow, a slow rhythm. Steven slowly nodding into darkness.

Both Pearl and Greg watched him for a while. Their heart's beating in their chest. Pearl realized something and turned away, but with a small smile. She glanced at the glowing green numbers on the oven's display. 1:15.

She looked at Greg and whispered. "You tired?"

"Nah." He looked down at his boy and ran his palm over his curls. "Can we talk?"

"Where?"

Greg nodded at the open bathroom door.

Pearl threw her eyes at it but went back to Steven, with a shaky look on her face. "Can we stay a minute longer?"

"Of course we can, Pearl." After much longer than a minute passed, Greg scooched from underneath his son and lowered his head onto a pillow.

The bathroom light was harsh. "Poor kid."

"I feared this all day." Pearl sat on the edge of the tub, with her palm propping her chin. "I saw him run out earlier with a card, he was in such a rush, I wasn't sure but I had a hunch."

"I thought it'd be Connie."

"Well, Connie cares for him. Deeply. This developed away from us."

Greg nodded, leaning against the sink.

Pearl's shoulders fell, she could feel the stress of her journey into the night on her projected shoulders. "Today's been so tough."

"I can't believe you were trying to haul that thing up all by yourself." He was looking down at the tiles of the bathroom. "I'm sorry." Greg looked at Pearl.

Pearl met his brown eyes. "Huh?"

"You've been taking care of my son for so long. I've not been doing all that I should be."

She heard the words and looked down at her foot she cradled in her hands. "Taking care of Steven wasn't too hard for a long time. I liked the journey, the effort of it all, all the things I've learned about him about myself, about caring for someone else besides Rose, jeez I even confused him for her at one point, but..." She put her hands into her eyes. Greg sat down next to her. "But I'm tired, I enjoyed it. But now I just try to tell myself I'm not in pain all the time, but I am. What would she think of me?" Her shoulders shook.

Greg hugged Pearl. She shuddered at the sudden warmth, but didn't shrink away from him, she relaxed into his arms. "Well, I for one think you're wonderful." They stayed like that, sharing warmth. He spoke with a coy tang, not really thinking of what he was saying. "I could move in, make breakfast some days."

She sniffled. "No, well, not yet, but a little help around the house wouldn't be bad." It had hurt Pearl to think of asking for help.

"Thank you for letting me help."

"I'm sure Steven and the other gems wouldn't complain about having you around here more."

"And you won't either?" He looked her in the eyes, her in his arms. She hadn't been held like this in years.

Pearl looked away with a warm blue blush on her ivory cheeks. "I won't mind." Greg let her out of his grasp and she rested for herself on the tub side.

She looked down into the vacant thing. Not a spot of dirt or remaining water from a shower. "I feel like it was only yesterday I was giving Steven baths in this tub. After you dropped him off he was nervous, splashing the alien trying to put him into the water or... maybe he just thought we were people back then, just people he didn't know. Forcing him to brush his teeth every night."

"I wish I had been there to help."

"I wish you were there too, but I know I wouldn't have had that."

He chuckled. "You hated my guts right?"

"Yes- No. What I hated was that she loved you... and when Steven was born I hated that you took her away, but I never hated who you were. As a human."

"Well, it's an honor to not be hated by Pearl."

Pearl rubbed the back of her neck and gave a half-chuckle. "It's getting late, aren't you a little tired?"

"Yeah, but I had an idea." Pearl looked at him. "When I was his age, well a little bit older, I was going through a rough time, and I didn't know what to do with myself, it was after that unrequited love, but it wasn't just that, it was a lot of stuff building up. Stuff with my father. I packed up my clothes, bought camping gear, and left college. I went walking for four months. I learned a lot about myself and my thoughts at that time, my place in the universe. Wrote my first few songs. Found someone who would manage me, and then that's that. So what if just we three went hiking somewhere upstate? I don't expect the kid to have a big revelation and become a traveling musician, but some time to process what's happened can't be a bad thing, and we can all spend some time together."

"That sounds great, but it's December, Greg, and the holidays are a few days away."

"So there are 4 days till Christmas right? We'd only go for two or three days. I can get us packed up tomorrow, then we can head out the next morning, I got some extra sleeping bags and even a tent or two squirreled away at the barn." He calculated even more up in his head.

Pearl smiled, she could see his son in him, the driven look life-loving look in his eyes. Greg's love was more subtle at times, still joyous, but tempered by reality. "We don't have to of course, if you'd rather just have a few days off to rest. I can take care of the temple."

Pearl sighed and her face fell. "The last thing I want to do is lay down and I don't want to look at this house right now."

"So are we doing it?"

Pearl smiled again softly but thought before answering. Thinking about how Garnet and Amethyst would have to prepare the festivities for the holidays, how they could manage. About finally clearing her head after months of just taking care of the house and hauling the bin up the hill.

"We're doing it."

New chapters every three days, space cowboy.