It's been a long time since Peridot has slept so peacefully. Hearing Amethyst's song while she fell asleep helped her to forget the horrors that transpired just earlier that day. Even in the previous night, she hasn't felt so.. calm.
Peridot didn't dream, or anything of that sort. In fact, she didn't know if she could call what she did "sleep." It was merely a pitch black void, where nothing could bother her unless she opened her eyes. Though she supposed she must be asleep, as she could just barely feel the world around her. She knew that she was resting on top of Amethyst, her loving girlfriend, but she could hardly feel it.
It felt good, to be so cut off from the world. The only problem she had in this dreamless paradise of darkness was that she knew exactly when it was to come to an end. And that time was now, when a knock sounded on the door to Amethyst's room.
Peridot squirmed, burying her face further in Amethyst's neck. Amethyst sighed and gently rubbed her girlfriend's back. The comfort had to end at some point.
"You alright, Peri?" Amethyst asked quietly, though she probably already knew the answer.
Peridot didn't answer. She didn't want to. She knew that if she did, she would have to detach herself from the comforting hold of her childhood friend whom only truly returned to her life two nights ago. But at the insistent, annoying knocking and further questioning from Amethyst, Peridot was forced to answer.
"I'm okay.." She sighed out against Amethyst's neck. She opened her eyes and looked up into her girlfriend face from where she lay. Despite what Peridot said being a blatant lie, she smiled. "Thanks.. For being here for me."
Amethyst smiled in return. It was hard, to really believe that Peridot was okay. Not after what she went through. Not after experiencing death right in front of her. But Amethyst decided to let it go for now. Instead, she kissed Peridot's forehead. "I'll never leave you alone again.." She whispered.
Peridot knew that this was true. Amethyst was no lier. Well, at least not when it counts. Peridot reached up and pushed her lips against her girlfriend's in a quick peck. They both wished it could have lasted longer, but Garnet's voice came from the door.
"Amethyst, are you in there?"
Amethyst sighed and gave an apologetic smile to the girl on top of her. "We can't hide in here forever.."
"I know." Peridot responded. She wanted to hide forever, god, did she want to. But she had to face the music eventually. So to Amethyst's surprise, she sat up in the bed and turned to face the door, her legs crossed under her and hands in her lap. "Come in!"
At Peridot's instruction, Garnet slowly entered the room. The only thing that Peridot actually liked about seeing the police woman in this situation was that she wasn't wearing her shades. Garnet's reddish brown and deep ocean blue eyes were exposed for Amethyst and Peridot to see.
"Hey, G." Amethyst greeted, propping herself up from her laying position on the bed. "What's shaking?"
Before Garnet could answer, Peridot quickly spoke up. "I'm going to prison, aren't I?"
"Peri.." Amethyst sat up completely, on her knees as she placed a comforting hand on Peridot's shoulder. Peridot ignored it.
"I killed that man." Peridot continued. "I shot him and he's dead. That's murder."
"Manslaughter." Garnet corrected. "You killed him because you were scared, and protecting Pearl. You probably didn't even realize what you'd done until after you pulled the trigger."
"You and I both know I knew what I was doing." Peridot argued with Garnet. Amethyst was surprised at how forceful the blonde was being. She cut in, grabbing Peridot's shoulders and whispering in her ear.
"What the fuck are you doing?" Amethyst asked. "You're making your case worse."
"I'm tired of taking it easy." Peridot stated firmly, not breaking eye contact with Garnet. "Living with Yellow Diamond, I was taught to defend myself if need be. I stole Pearl's gun and shot the man who was harming her. I knew what I was doing."
Garnet took her time to process this information. She crossed her arms, staring down at the blonde girl who seemed intent on going to prison. Would Peridot even survive among so many other inmates?
"The least you'll get is five years." Garnet stated. "You'll be in your twenties before you get out."
"And the most I'll get?" Peridot asked, curious.
"Twenty-five years." Garnet answered without hesitation.
Amethyst couldn't take it. Tears stung at her eyes as she forced Peridot to look at her, holding onto both sides of the blonde's face. "Don't fucking do this, Peri."
Peridot was surprised. She's never seen Amethyst so emotional, ever. Even when they were children, Amethyst would always smile, no matter how much pain or strife she went through. Peridot gripped Amethyst's hands in hers. "Amethyst, I have to-"
"No!" Amethyst interrupted, tears visibly staining her cheeks. She didn't care at this point. "You don't have to do this! I'm in a cell for a couple of months, you're gonna be put in prison for years! You won't survive there, Peri, you just won't!"
Even Garnet was surprised at Amethyst's outburst. Gone was the cool and nonchalant young woman. Instead, Garnet saw a scared teenager, begging her girlfriend with all her heart to plead for emotional self defense.
"You're not taking the high road by getting arrested!" Amethyst continued her rant, pulling Peridot in a tight hug as if to keep her from the police. Her voice became softer as she sobbed into Peridot's shoulder. "Y-you don't have to go, please don't go.."
Peridot clutched onto Amethyst's back, her own tears threatening to escape her eyes. "Ame, I.."
"Please don't leave me again."
These words made Peridot feel as if her chest were going to burst. Feeling Amethyst's shaking against her, the ex-prostitutes tears hot on Peridot's neck, made the blonde realize and feel guilty for what she's been saying.
Of course it was stupid to actually want to go to prison! Who in their right mind would want to be pulled from the people they love just because they felt like it was the right thing to do? Sure, Peridot killed a man, but it was in defense! He was homeless, had no family, and if he was allowed to continue what he was doing to Pearl, she might have been the one to end up dead.
So Peridot wrapped her arms around Amethyst in return, holding her girlfriend just as tightly, whispering. "..I don't want to leave you."
This exchange was certainly emotional, Garnet thought. To watch Amethyst tear down her walls to beg Peridot to stay out of prison by pleading for emotional defense. But really, the scene in front of the police woman was plenty enough defense in itself.
"Tell you what.." Garnet started, and the couple on the bed turned their heads to face her. "The usual fine would be up to five thousand dollars. If you pay it up in the next three days, then you're free to go. No trial. No court hearing. Nothing."
"W-won't you get in trouble?" Amethyst asked, wiping her tears. "You can't do that, Garnet."
"I became a Sergeant in less then a year when I first started working there." Garnet stated, pointing to the golden eagle badge she wore proudly on her uniform. "At worst, I'll be demoted. Besides, with all that crying, I thought you wanted Peridot to stay out of prison."
Dejectedly, Amethyst nodded. She was torn, not wanting Peridot to leave her side and go to prison, but also not wanting Garnet to get in trouble with her superiors. So she decided to go with the lesser of two evils and keep her girlfriend from being thrown in with the cruelest people in New York.
Garnet smiled and pulled her sunglasses from the pocket of her pants. She placed them over her eyes and adjusted them. "Good. I'll tell our chief. Of course, I can't promise that you won't be pulled in for questioning."
"I'll be okay with that." Peridot replied, and she knew she would be. She was used to being questioned by people due to being Yellow Diamond's adoptive daughter.
"Alright, then." Garnet then turned and began to head from the room, out of the building, until Amethyst's voice stopped her in the middle of the hallway.
"When should I be back in my cell?" Amethyst called out. She wanted nothing more than to just stay here with Peridot, but she knew it couldn't last long.
Garnet poked her head back through the door, smiling almost coyly at the couple on the bed. "I'm sure everyone at the precinct with agree when I say you've done more than your fair share of time. I'm letting you out early for good behavior. Have a good day." And she was out of the door before Amethyst could protest.
Peridot, on the other hand, was more than a little elated. The blonde let out a cry of joy and tackled Amethyst back into a laying position on the bed. On top of her girlfriend, Peridot left kiss after kiss over Amethyst's face, and Amethyst couldn't help but giggle at the administrations.
"Damn, Peri!" Amethyst practically had to pry Peridot from her, holding her by her shoulders to look her in the eyes. "What's gotten into you?"
"What do you mean, "what's gotten into me"?" Peridot asked, as if Amethyst should already know the answer. Her smile was wide, and for the first since the incident, she was truly happy. "You don't have to go back! No more rickety bed, no more cold toilets, and you can shower! Why shouldn't I be excited?!"
Amethyst stared up at Peridot's smiling face. It looked so happy, so joyful. Her eyes were red and glistening from her previous crying, but smiling along with her mouth. She had the tiniest hint of dimples. Her hair was messy, still a little damp from the shower they shared. Amethyst wondered if her own her was leaving water marks on her bed.
Amethyst ignored her girlfriend's words. Instead, she cupped Peridot's cheek, smiling in turn. "You're so beautiful when you smile." The blush that adorned Peridot's face made the blonde even more beautiful, in Amethyst's opinion.
It was so odd, though, Amethyst thought as she pulled Peridot into a kiss. So many things have happened in just the past couple of weeks. What are the odds that Peridot would be forced to take a life just a couple of days after gaining her childhood friend back? What are the odds that they would come across each other in New York, and find themselves as romantic partners? What are the odds that such beautiful reunions could come with such awful tragedies?
It was odd, but Amethyst didn't give a shit. Explanations could wait until some of the heat has died down. Right now, entangled with her girlfriend, the love of her life, she just wanted to enjoy her newfound freedom.
"I'm totally gonna get fired.." Garnet mumbled to herself as she walked down the street, not even glancing at the dead man in the street, back to her police cruiser. She would call an ambulance and get her squadron to set up a crime scene when she got back to her department. Garnet had told Amethyst and Peridot that she was just going to be demoted to make them feel less guilty. But in reality, Garnet was committing a crime; aiding an alleged criminal. She hasn't reported Peridot's actions to the chief yet, and she doubted anyone in this neighborhood would have called the police. Aside from Rose's apartments, the place was pretty poor. But she would have to tell her superiors sometime, and when she did, it was not going to be pretty.
Garnet sighed when she got to her car, lifting up her glasses to pinch at the bridge of her nose. It was going to be a hell of a lot of paperwork to fill out.
"Um.. Excuse me?"
Garnet turned her head toward the sound of a timid, feminine voice. Standing a few feet from her car, leaning on the side of one of the buildings that stood at the end of the street, was the same woman that was taken hostage by the now deceased man. Her hair was a bright, almost bleached blonde color. Her clothes weren't very impressive, considering she was a homeless woman, but they looked warm. She was thin, and if she was shirtless, Garnet was sure that she would be able to see the woman's ribs.
"Can I help you?" Garnet asked. The woman nodded, and stepped forward, a little more confident since being acknowledged. Garnet noticed that her feet were are and dirty.
"My.. my name is Sadie." The woman introduced herself. "I, uh.. I'm a witness to what happened earlier, and.."
"And you want to come in to tell us what you saw?" Garnet finished for Sadie. Another nod. Garnet studied the woman for a few seconds. Upon closer inspection, she noticed a bruise around Sadie's neck. Garnet's lips curled into the smallest of smiles.
Maybe, just maybe, she could still save her job.
Author's Note:
Sorry for the long wait. I've been having a bit of a writer's block, as well as searching for a job. My chapters might be more infrequent from now on, but I'll be sure to leave information on my Tumblr the general time that new chapters will be coming out.
0zerotolerence. tumblr. com
Anyway, I was wondering if you guys wanted my chapters to be longer, maybe more detailed? I've enjoyed keeping the chapters short and sweet, but I still wanna know what you think.
Be on the lookout for the next chapter of "Love is Weird." As always, so long for now.