"Happy New Years, sweetie."

Peridot couldn't help but smile as her foster mother used the little pet name. At least she was in a good mood.

"Happy New Years, mother.. I'm guessing it's midnight in Italy?" Peridot asked, taking a quick look at the time on her phone. It was six o'clock at night in New York.

"Yes, it is. The fireworks are much more extravagant here than in New York, and the food is just to die for."

It was then that Peridot listened closely. She could hear the light whistling and boom of several fireworks lighting the sky.

"I'm glad you're having so much fun."

"Are you not?"

It was just like Yellow Diamond to be able to see through someone, like glass.. even over the phone and countries away.

Jasper and Lapis could only barely hear their employer's voice on the other end of the line. They decided that this conversation was best left in private.

The two stood from their seats, and with a friendly wave from Lapis to Peridot to gain her attention, they left.

"Peridot?"

The woman's tone was of concern. Even if she couldn't be there for her adoptive child, she could at least lend an ear. It was New Year's, after all.

Peridot let out a sigh, gathering the words in her throat. She tried to stay calm, composed, but.. she just couldn't.

With a dry sob, a tear running down her cheek, she spoke into the phone.

"Mom.. do.. do you remember Amethyst?"

"Vaguely.. she was that friend you were so attached to, right?"

"Yeah.. yeah, that's her."

"What about her?"

"Well.. I found her again."

"That's wonderful.. but what's the problem?"

Peridot bit her lip, wiping her tear away. Should she.. tell her foster mother about Amethyst's occupation? She decided that yes, she should. The woman was going to find out eventually anyway.

"It's a long story.. do you have time?"

"Always, dear.."

Peridot could her hear the booming of the fireworks fading out in the background. Was her mother making her way inside of her hotel?

"Thanks.." She whispered. Taking a deep breath, she began to tell her mother everything that had happened in the past few days.

"So what's up, doc?" Amethyst asked, chuckling at her own joke.

Dr. Maheswaran just rolled her eyes. She cleared her throat, coughing into her hand before she began asking questions.

"First, I want you to tell me everything you remember about the orphanage you grew up in.."

"Not much to remember, really." Amethyst leaned back against the wall, hands behind her head.

"I practically lived there. I got basic schooling from Alex until around like, I dunno.. sixth grade? After that, she wasn't qualified to educate us, so I had to learn the rest on my own."

"And by 'us', you mean you and the other orphans?"

"Yeah.. Me, Sugilite, Sardonyx, Opal, Ruby, Sapphire, and Malachite. Well, Malachite didn't stay for long."

"You all had the names of gemstones?"

"Just me, really." Amethyst chuckled at the memory. "They all wanted nicknames because I was the only one with an actual name of a rock."

"I think that's very sweet.."

"They did too. Alex is a nickname too. Short for Alexandrite."

"I see.." The therapist wished that she had a pen and some paper right about now. This would be great to document. "So you had a lot of friends."

"I had friends before them, too.. But they were adopted. All of them were adopted. All except me."

"Do you think maybe one of those adoptions caused some specific pain to you?"

Dr. Maheswaran didn't know how close she was to the mark.

"I don't think so.." Amethyst stared up at the ceiling as she repeated her philosophy to the doctor that she told Peridot.

"I'm a girl that lives in the moment.. I have fun when I can, and when that fun is over.. well, I still have my memories of that fun."

"That's a nice way of thinking.." The doctor commented. She felt as if she were getting closer to Amethyst's problem. It seemed rather simple, really.

"So you live in the moment only to store those memories away later, but has there ever been a moment so devastating that you just.. couldn't bear it?"

"If there was, I don't remember." Amethyst's tone became sharp, and she stood up from her bed, hands on her hips as she faced the doctor.

"I mean, the whole point of this thing is to get my memory back, right? How am I gonna do that if I don't remember what my fucking memory is in the first place?"

"We were just looking in your past for some clues, is all." Dr. Maheswaran stayed calm, rather used to seeing her patients get a little irritated. "If you'd like, we can take a break before we move on."

Amethyst thought for a moment before nodding her head. She sat down beside the doctor again, taking a deep breath.

"Yeah.. yeah, a break sounds good. So tell me about yourself, doc."

"Priyanka is my first name." Dr. Maheswaran replied, smiling. "You may call me by that if it makes you feel better."

Amethyst smiled back.

"That name sounds so awesome."

"And then I just.. ran. I want to tell her, I do, but.. I'm scared."

Peridot finished speaking.. she had told her mother everything.

How she found Amethyst when she got to New York, how she hired the prostitute a couple months later just to see if she remembered.. the way they became friends all over again.

Yellow Diamond didn't speak for a while. Peridot could hear her mother breathing. It was odd, really, how steady it was. Then the rich girl realized three things.

First, that she had just told her mother that she paid a whore to fuck her.

Second, that she just came out as a lesbian, or at least bisexual.

And third.. that she almost pissed her pants in fear.

"First of all.." The woman finally spoke, her voice calm and collected. Peridot was afraid of what she would say. "When I get home, we're going to have a little talk about you hiring a prostitute behind my back."

"I know, but mother, I-"

"Secondly.." Her mother interrupted. "Don't ever hide anything about yourself from me. I've had a few 'lady flings' in my past, so don't be afraid about talking about homosexuality with me."

Peridot was stunned to silence. She didn't even try to defend herself this time. Her mind was reeling with the fact that her mother, Yellow Diamond, has had sex with women. Who could she possibly have done it with? She almost didn't catch what the woman said next.

"And Peridot.. just tell her everything. It's not good for you to bottle it all up."

"I.. I know, but-"

"No. No buts except yours walking down to the police station." God, that was so cliché. "Even if things don't work out, even if she doesn't feel the same way you do after you tell her, you'll still be friends, right? It's like your friend said. Memories are what matter."

Peridot let out a hearty laugh, to which the woman on the other end chuckled at.

"You suck, mom.."

"I love you too, dear."

And then Yellow Diamond hung up.

Peridot took her phone from her ear, looking down at the now blank screen.

"..bitch used Amethyst against me."

The rich girl stared out the door of the dining hall. Maybe.. maybe she should go see Amethyst.

"So you know Rose?"

"Oh yes."

Amethyst and Priyanka had gotten into a conversation about the friends that they had. It turns out that some of Amethyst's friends are Priyanka's patients.

"I was actually the one to deliver Steven. He's such a sweet boy. My little girl loves playing with him when they come for a check up."

"I wouldn't have expected you to have a kid, with a bangin' body like yours."

"Why thank you." Priyanka took the complement wholeheartedly. "But don't let my husband hear you. He's the jealous type."

"You're married?" Amethyst asked, earning a nod from the doctor. "..damn."

"Amethyst, you're my patient. The circumstances are different from you and your clients, I'm sure."

"Can't blame a girl for trying. It's my profession."

"You're in jail because of it."

"What, are they gonna lock me up again for whoring myself out in a prison cell?"

"Well, uhm.." This had the doctor stumped. Ultimately, she put her hands up in defeat. "Fine, you're right. But my choice is still no."

"Figures. I don't go for married women anyway. Not my style." Amethyst relaxed her posture, once again leaning her back against the wall. She would lay down, but the bed had another occupant.

"I've seen many prostitutes in my job, testing them for diseases.. but I think you're the first that seems to be a lesbian."

"Yeah, well.." Amethyst smirked. "Pussy just tastes better."

"A lot of my patients would disagree with you." Priyanka had no trouble talking to Amethyst about sex like this. She was a doctor. It was natural.

"Maybe they just like the feeling of dick in their throat."

"Or in their vagina."

Amethyst laughed and shook her head.

"I wouldn't know."

"There's no way you're a virgin." Priyanka scoffed, giving Amethyst a disbelieving look.

"I get the same reaction from everyone I tell, but it's the truth!" Amethyst insisted.

"I'll believe it when I see a hymen."

"Now who's the one trying to get the pants off of whom?"

Priyanka was completely taken aback. She stared, mouth agape at Amethyst, who had a wide grin on her face.

"You know what, no." Priyanka raised her hands in defeat once more. Damn, Amethyst was good. "I'll just take your word for it."

"Good." Amethyst stood from her bed, stretching her arms. That was enough of a break for now..

"So, you wanna get started on the second part of 'Picking Amethyst's Brain'?"

It was good that Amethyst was the first to suggest this. She was back in her comfort zone. Priyanka smiled, linking her fingers together.

"Of course.. Like I said before, I'm finished asking about your past."

"Thank fuck."

"Now I want to ask you about this Peridot girl that seems to be the center of your problems."

Amethyst sighed, crossing her arms.

"From one fire to another.."

"What's she like?" Dr. Maheswaran asked, ignoring Amethyst's comment. Despite herself, the prostitute was smiling at the thought of her friend. She practically began to gush.

"She's really nice. Funny, laid back.. even for being a rich girl." Amethyst uncrossed her arms and took a seat beside the doctor once more.

"I mean, you'd think she'd be all snobbish, wouldn't you? Having everything handed to her on a silver platter, never having to work for all of the stuff she has.. but she's different. She doesn't want all of that stuff. I don't know what she wants, actually. I must have known her back then.. what was her dream?"

Amethyst asked this question to herself, bringing her knees to her chest. She wrapped her arms around her legs and continued to talk.

"She's really pretty too. I think I like her weird hair most. Her eyes are a very close second."

"You seem to like a lot about this girl.." Priyanka interrupted, earning a chuckle from the prostitute.

"Guess I do. She's got a lot of good features. You know she hired me for.. you know.. right?"

Priyanka nodded. "I've been told."

"She's as green in that department as the grass on the other side of the fence. I mean.. I was her first kiss, too."

"So you took her virginity?"

Amethyst shook her head, fondly remembering the events of that night.

"No.. when I went put my hand down her pants, she kinda freaked out. She pulled away and we decided to c-call it quits for that night."

Amethyst's voice suddenly grew shaky. Priyanka couldn't see the prostitute's face passed her knees, but she could tell that Amethyst was crying. She went to put a hand on her patient's shoulder, but Amethyst continued to speak.

"I-I forgot her.. and after so many years, when she found me, she.. she wanted me to be her first time. I must have been a good friend, right..?"

Amethyst lifted her head, and Priyanka's suspicions were confirmed.

The prostitute had tears streaming down her face, dark spots on her blue jeans from the moisture.

"I mean.. she wanted me to pop her cherry, for fuck's sake." Amethyst stared at Priyanka, her tears falling freely from her eyes. She didn't try to stop them. She didn't want to.

For the first time in her life, Amethyst wanted to feel sad. She wanted to cry. She wanted to know what Peridot went through when the rich girl realized that Amethyst had forgotten her.

"Yeah.. yeah you were.."

Amethyst turned around to see Peridot standing in the doorway to the holding cells.

Author's Note: Please send reviews you might want to leave to me in a private message. I can NOT see recent reviews.

Also, that new episode of Steven Universe.. Oh my god.