Hey guys!

Just wanted to quickly pop in, before the chapter starts, and say that Nanowrimo isn't quite going as I had hoped.

One of the reasons is that I thought 50k words would be enough to finish this story when the chapters I had already posted and written, in total were about 40k words. But it seems, that even with 50k more words, the story might not be finished with that. I just don't want to try and shorten the storyline too much and make it seem rushed, yet right now I feel like it is going at a snail's pace, which I hope to change in the chapters I am writing right now.

Another reason Nanowrimo isn't quite going as planned is that technically I am a little over 16k behind to where I should be. I hope to remedy that the rest of this week, by just writing as much as possible from the day starts, to the day end.

On another note, with what I had prepared before Nanowrimo, and what I have written currently during Nanowrimo, I right now have up until chapter 12 written, with chapter 13 about halfway done, with it being on around 2,5k words.

So don't worry! If I just start getting into working gear, we should have a steady flow of chapters through the rest of 2020, probably a bit into 2021, and hopefully, I will be done writing the story soon!

With that suddenly very long A/N, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

On Earth, the same time as Amethyst's, Peridot's and Lapis' escape to the Moon:

Rose POV:

When Greg died, I wasn't prepared for the feeling of loss that hit me. I know that I never loved him. He was but a pawn on my chessboard. But he had ended up being more than any of the other pawns. He had been a part of giving me my most valuable piece. Steven. And even if he refused to be a part of giving me another one child, it didn't mean that I wanted him dead.

Pearl had been the one to tell me not to help him. And she had a good reason for doing it. He is… was a weakness. My weakness. Probably one of my only two. And with him gone, there is only one left. And he will be gone too, I just don't know when.

With Greg now dead, I need to start setting my plan into action. Almost all of my soldiers are either shattered, corrupted, a part of the Cluster, or on Homeworld colonies, where I am unable to reach them.

This means I will need to start recruiting here on Earth. And I know where to start.

Third POV:

The phone rang in the almost empty house in the temple. Rose picked it up and received the news of Greg's passing.

"Thank you for calling me," Rose said and then hang up. 'This is it,' she thought. 'This is the beginning. No one left other than the people I trust. I wish you had been on that list, Greg. But you chose your own path.'

"Who was it?" Pearl asked.

"It was the hospital. Greg passed away not too long ago," Rose answered. "We need to take what we can from this development. This tragedy could help us recruit someone."

"Who? As far as I know, all the Gems on this planet who are not corrupted are Crystal Gems," Pearl asked confused.

"I am not talking about a Gem," Rose answered with a smirk. "I am talking about Steven's human friend Connie. I talked to her not long after arriving here if you remember. I told her that I want to meet her, and she seemed to agree. The meeting is to take place today, and with Greg's death and the news of Steven's 'demise', she should be won over easy."

"What would you want with a human? And a female at that. You can procreate with her," Pearl asked in disgust.

"To take over a job you used to have," Rose answered, making Pearl stiffen in fear. Was she being replaced? But why? Connie is nothing but a weak human who could die too easily. "Don't fear, my beautiful Pearl. She will take over the role of my protector. No longer will you have to risk getting cracked or shattered, to make sure I don't suffer that fate."

"But what if I want to?" Pearl asked. "I love defending you, Rose. Knowing that your life depends on me, it's exciting and makes me happy."

"I know," Rose told her with a gentle smile. "But I can't risk losing you. How can I create a perfect empire without my Pearl on my side?"

Pearl smiled at that. While Pearl had always hated that she had to serve anyone, it was different with Rose. She was serving Rose so that they could make a future where none of them were slaves. When they had finally created their own empire and destroyed Homeworld, Pearl would be no one's Pearl. If anything, she would be the one having Pearls!

A knock on the door broke their small silence. Pearl walked over and opened the door. On the other side stood Connie, dressed in her usual blue dress, glassless glasses and bag pack, probably filled with a lot of books.

"Hey Pearl!" Connie greeted happily. "I was told by Rose to come here."

"Oh yes, that's right," Pearl said with a solemn smile. She couldn't seem happy in the face of Greg's death, even though she was. She had hated him. Hated him for daring to see himself fit to be with Rose. Hated him for being able to kiss and have sex with her. Hated him for giving her the one thing she couldn't give Rose. A child.

"Is something the matter?" Connie asked, concerned.

"I think it is better if you come inside," Pearl told her and opened the door wider to let Connie in. Connie noticed Rose quickly, as she had seen her on the painting over the door.

"You're Steven's mother!" Connie exclaimed. "But that can't be possible! Steven is you and, and, and if you are here, then where is…"

"That is one of the reasons I wanted to speak with you," Rose told her sadly. "I have been looking forward to meeting the girl Steven spend so much time with. But today isn't the best day for pleasantries."

"What do you mean?" Connie asked.

"It's about Greg," Rose started. "I don't know if you heard that Greg was in an accident not so long ago. He has been in a coma since then. He woke up for a short period today, before… I'm sorry to say, that he died today." When she finished, she shed some tears. Connie herself was in tears and flew into Rose's awaiting arms, crying her heart out in her motherly arms.

'This is going just as planned,' Rose thought to herself, smiling a less than motherly smile.

The door to the temple flew open, shocking the three people inside. Amethyst ran through the door and towards the warp pad.

"Amethyst?" Connie called out, shocked. But Amethyst had already warped away, leaving them all confused. Connie turned to Rose. "What is going on? What exactly happened to Greg? And where is Steven?"

"Let's sit down. I will tell you everything there is to know," Rose told her, smiling. 'Let the war begin.'

Connie POV:

I sat down on the couch with Rose and waited for the much-needed information. This had already been a tiring day and it was only a bit into the afternoon. First Amethyst called and asked me to not come to Beach City. Then Rose called and asked me to come. And now that I am here, I find out that Greg is dead, and Amethyst seemed to be distressed over something. What the hell is going on?

"You must understand, that you are now a part of a big and messy conflict that has been going on for many eons," Rose started. "I don't know how much you have already been told about Gem culture."

"I have been told a bit," I told her. "That the Earth used to be a colony of Homeworld. That Homeworld was slowly killing the Earth and that the Crystal Gems fought to free the Earth and won."

"That is true, but there is much more to it," Rose told me. "Long ago, some other being created a Gem. This Gem was a Diamond known as White Diamond. She is one of the three, former four, leaders of Homeworld. She rebelled and created her own Nation, Homeworld, and then, later on, created more Diamonds, so they could rule together. But the only way to create more Gems was to take the energy force out of something and make it into a Gem. She used the same technology that was used to make her, and with the help of other Gems, made after her by her creator, she was able to modify them, to make other Gems. They weren't Diamonds, but they were good enough for her," Rose said while seeming to be a bit bitter.

"No one questioned what Homeworld was doing. They just accepted that we had to destroy planets to make more of us. But we are Gems. We are immortal. There is no need for us to keep creating more and more of us. I realized that and rebelled. I rebelled long before I came to the Earth, but I wasn't strong enough to do anything. But when the Earth was discovered, I saw an opportunity. This planet is the most beautiful planet I have ever seen. And I knew that others would see it that way as well. So, I gathered Gems who could help me fight against Homeworld. And we became known as the Crystal Gems, named after the Crystals that were found on this planet. We fought a long and hard war. And while we won, it was not without losses. You see, all the Gem Monsters you have seen and maybe even fought, are corrupted Gems. Gems who were once like us, but were corrupted by a final attack from the Diamonds. I could only save myself, Pearl and Garnet from that fate. It is only by luck that Amethyst hadn't hatched yet, or she would have been like them."

"But at least you defended the planet like you wanted," I whispered, sad. Rose smiled at me, with a smile full of grieve.

"Yes, we did. Homeworld thought we were all gone and left the Earth to be destroyed by the corrupted Gems left behind. And after many years of travelling and protecting the Earth, I fell in love and decided to experience something that I had seen other humans have."

"A baby," I answered for her, smiling slightly. "You decided to have Steven."

"Yes," she said. "And what a wonder he was. I knew I would never get to hold him, hug him, kiss him goodnight or anything else. But carrying him in my body and knowing that he would exist was enough for me."

"You make it sound like…" I trailed off, not knowing how to finish the sentence.

"Like he is gone," she answered for me. She took a deep breath before telling me the one thing that turned my world upside down: "That is because he is. Homeworld killed him. They split us apart and placed a new Gem inside his body like it was some form of armour. Steven is dead and Homeworld killed him."

"No," I whispered brokenly, looking down at my shaking hands. It couldn't be. "I don't believe you. You are lying! Steven can't be dead! He and I are supposed to fight against Homeworld together and protect Earth! We are supposed to stand side by side through everything! HOW CAN I DO THAT IF HE IS GONE?! HE'S NOT DEAD! HE IS NOT!"

I didn't know when I had stood up, but suddenly I was on the floor, on my knees, crying into my folded arms. I was surprised when I was picked up and set into someone's lap. I looked up and saw a crying Rose.

"I'm so sorry, Connie," She sobbed. "I wish I could have done something. This is all my fault!" I hugged her and we cried in each other's arms for some time, before I pulled away from her and whipped my tears away.

"No," I told her. "It isn't your fault. Homeworld killed him. They did this, not you. And they will not get away with it."

"What do you mean, Connie?" Rose asked confused. I got out of her lap, making her stand as I stood in front of her.

"I might not have known you for long. But you are Steven's mom and he would have wanted me to trust you and protect you. So," I said as I got down on one knee before her. "Let me protect you, as a way of honouring my promise to protect Steven."

"Connie, you don't have to," she told me softly.

"But I want to!" I exclaimed. "Please, let me do this!"

"You will need to train," Rose told me. "And you will have to leave your family to stay here full time. It will be dangerous. You could die."

"I, I know that," I told her nervously. "And while I'm scared, I'm prepared to do it. It is the least I could do, after not being able to protect Steven when he needed me…"

Rose looked at me for a moment, before giving me a sad smile.

"Alright, Connie. I will let you fight with us. If that is really what you want," she finally told me. I looked at her, thankful.

"Stand up," she told me, and I did as I was told. "Pearl will train you to be the best warrior you can be. And when your training is complete, you will officially become a Crystal Gem. You have until then to decide if you really want to join. But you must understand, that when you become one of us, it is until the bitter end."

"I understand," I nodded.

"Well then, we should get started with training, shouldn't we?" I nodded at her words and went into the bathroom to change into my training clothes.

'I will train and become the best warrior a human can be,' I thought to myself. 'I will avenge you, Steven.'

Rose POV:

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Pearl asked me, as we waited for Connie to change. "What if she decides at the end of her training to not fight? Then it will have been wasted time."

"We will have her fully convinced by then," I told her, looking at the bathroom door. "I want her to be one of the first people Steven sees when he comes here. It will make him vulnerable. She will be the perfect weapon."

"She will die, though," Pearl told her, solemnly. "She is only human. She can't take as much force as we can. If the training doesn't kill her, a battle will."

"I know," I told her calmly. "It will hurt Steven, making him distracted and easier to defeat. And as you said, she is only human. Her loss won't affect us that much."

The bathroom door opened, and Connie walked out, ready to train. "I'm ready," she told us.

I smiled friendly at her. "Good, let's get started then."

Garnet POV:

First, Steven was sucked into space. Then suddenly, Rose came back. She told us that Steven was dead. That some new Gem had taken his body and made it into a full Gem.

Rose is the reason I exist. Had she and Pearl never attacked that fateful day, I wouldn't have been made. Ruby would never have protected Sapphire the way she had. No Rose meant no Garnet.

I believed that for so many eons. I fought for her. For a place where I could exist in peace, without the threat of being split apart. So, when she decided that she wanted to become pregnant, I knew that she would be no more. I only saw visions of Steven. I didn't tell Rose which gender her child would be, as I saw her being happy no matter if it was a boy or girl. But I knew it was a boy, and that he would be named Steven.

I saw his childhood, but only a few years ahead. Of course, some things were kind of blurry. His decisions could change, but I would know multiple outcomes to all these different decisions. I knew that it would take some time before he could summon his shield and even more time to control it. I knew when he would find out about the Kindergarten, but I didn't know how. While it was frustrating, only being able to prepare a few years ahead of time at a time, I quickly got used to it and looked forward to the few times he would take me by surprise.

But that ended the day he was sucked into space.

I tried to look into where he was and how to find him and save him. But I couldn't. I couldn't see his future anymore. I would see darkness and then feel pain. Like I was being ripped apart.

Then Rose came back. She said that she and Steven had been ripped apart and Steven was killed in the process. That could be why I got that feeling. Why I can no longer see Steven, but can once again see Rose. It should all make sense.

But then, why do I get visions that tell me something else.

The thought of those visions, made my mind erupt in chaos. I could feel Ruby's anger at the thought of those visions. Her distrust in them. I could feel Sapphire and her doubt. She is used to trusting the visions. They have never failed her. So why should they fail her now?

It is not possible! Rose told us he was dead!

But the visions? We both see them. An older looking Steven, fighting Rose here on Earth, wearing Homeworld gear, fighting with a sword and a shield.

That is not Steven! That is just the Gem that took his body. We need to accept it. Steven is dead and he's never coming back!

Something isn't right. If he is dead, why do we then get visions of this new Gem acting exactly like Steven? All the visions show us that this Gem acts like him and has the same amount of empathy as him.

You trust the visions too much. Throughout all of our years together, you have always told me to take everything we see with a grain of salt.

This is different. These visions feel... different. Like they bring great change to us all. Change that we cannot avoid.

They feel like all the other visions we've had.

You aren't trying to feel them. You always hold them at arm's length and let me take care of them for us.

We are splitting because of the visions! Of course, I don't want to look closer at them! We need to get back to the others. We can't keep going on like this!

I refuse to go back until we have worked through this. I don't want them to see us falling apart when we can fix it.

We don't need to do everything by ourselves anymore. Rose will take care of us, take care of everyone! Just like she did before…

Before Steven… Why don't you want to believe that he might be alive?

The question caused me to glow. I could feel myself slowly becoming undone. As it was getting to the point of me completely splitting, it suddenly stopped.

Stop! We are going to un-fuse! We can't handle this by ourselves, Sapphire. Please, we need help from the other. From Rose.

NO! The glow came back. I hugged myself and tried to hold myself together. Or is it Ruby who did that? It's getting harder distinguishing between me, Ruby and Sapphire. I refuse! Not until I know what those visions mean!

Okay! What about… what about Amethyst?

…What about her?

Maybe she can help us. You must have noticed how confused she is too. And with Greg being in the hospital, she is all alone.

There was a pause in everything before I started to stabilize. I gave a sigh in relief.

Okay. Let's find Amethyst before we discuss any more of this.

The feelings of the two Gems who made up my being disappeared. I sighed again. Sometimes it is easy to forget that while being my own personality, I'm not my own Gem. Without Ruby and Sapphire, I will cease to exist. Sapphire who make up my patience and wisdom, and Ruby who make up my temper and will to fight for everything I believe in. Her will to fight for Sapphire and a life out of Homeworld's tyranny. I quickly shook such a thought out of my head, knowing it could start the debate all over again.

I stood up from the rock I had sat on. I was in Korea, by Pink Diamond's palanquin. No one had been here since the assassination of Pink Diamond, executed by Rose. Not even Rose dared to come here, and be faced with the thing that changed the course of the war forever.

I was the only one who would come here. I sometimes did it to reflect on the war that gave birth to me. Other times it would be to look for things I could have missed the other times I had been here. See if there were any corrupted Gems that hadn't been there before. But even they, even with no mind left, seemed to steer clear of this place.

I look behind me and stare at the palanquin. 'Beautiful,' I thought. The only other palanquin I have seen was Blue Diamond's, but it didn't have the same beauty that Pink Diamond's always held. There was something fragile about the pink palanquin. I understand why this place is avoided, even by humans. It is beautiful, calm, serene. Only a few have been here and those were painters and historians.

I took one look, before turning around and walking in the direction which will take me home. As I walk to the cliff, ready to jump in the ocean, I notice something glimmer in the sunlight. I kneeled and noticed a pink gem shard. I picked it up, before putting it down again. 'Now is not the time,' I thought before jumping into the ocean.

The journey was rough. It didn't help that I didn't have all my energy. While Ruby and Sapphire had agreed to not think or discuss any more about Rose and Steven, it didn't mean that they were happy with each other and that puts a drain on my powers.

I know they don't want to split. I know they like being together like this. They like becoming me. But I sometimes wonder if I am really them or a product of them.

I am made of love. The love Ruby and Sapphire have for each other. And without their love, I can't exist. But in situations, where they argue and leave me weak, I wonder if I really am made of that love. I don't feel their love now, only sadness and anger. But humans love each other, even when angry. Does the same apply here?

I wonder if I am their child, birthed from both of them and the situation they were in. Or if I am only them fused together. If I am not really me, but them, combined. I am told that I am my own person, with the memories of Ruby and Sapphire, together with their abilities. That I came from their love. But if I am me, then why can't I exist without them?

I question my existent and wonder if I will one day cease to exist. What if Ruby and Sapphire stop fussing. Will I still exist? I know that I 'fall asleep' when they un-fuse. But what if they were to un-fuse for a long time. Years, decades, centuries, millennials, eons. Will I disappear? Cease to exist? Will I be born anew if or when they fuse again? Or will a new being be born and I will be lost in the void of nothingness?

I never showed my insecurities. I became a leader when Rose disappeared. I was ready to be a leader until such a time where Steven could take over.

But now, with Rose back and Steven gone, I am no longer a leader. And the wall that kept these insecurities away, are slowly falling. It doesn't help that Ruby and Sapphire are getting more and more distant with each other.

'I just need to find Amethyst,' I think to myself. 'She will help me and I will help her. We are the Crystal Gems and we stick together no matter what, right? We can do anything!' But as I think these, I feel a sense of dread overcome me.

I don't know how long the journey took me. But when I came back, it was dark and the moon lid up Beach City. I walked up the steps to the temple and walked inside.

Inside sat Rose, Pearl and surprisingly enough, Connie. They looked towards me as I opened the door and seemed shocked to see me. How long had I been gone?

"Garnet! Where have you been?" Pearl asked. I looked from her to Rose, and back to her.

"I needed some time to think, but that doesn't matter," I told her in a slight monotone voice. "Where is Amethyst? I need to talk to her."

All three gained looks of sadness, but Rose and Pearl also looked as if they had sucked on a lemon. A look I have only seen them have when they have been… betrayed…

"Where is she?" I demanded in a hard voice. Rose sighs, before answering.

"Amethyst left," she said bluntly. "It seems that she and the Ex-Homeworld Gems have fled. Where to, we don't know. But they have betrayed us. They are now our enemies."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. A familiar feeling came over me, and I rushed over to the Gem Room Door.

"Wait, Garnet-" Rose exclaimed, reaching her hand towards me as if to stop me.

"I need to be alone," I told her as I rushed into my room. I only just made it, before I fell to my knees and held myself. I started to glow.

Amethyst wouldn't leave without there being a good reason!

There is no good reason! She is a traitor! She betrayed us! We should never have trusted Lapis and Peridot! Once a Homeworld Gem, always a Homeworld Gem! And to think, we almost FUSED with Peridot!

How hypocritical of you. If you don't remember, we were once Homeworld Gems too! And we would have never fused with Peridot. My visions foresaw that.

You and your damned visions! All they do is create more trouble!

My glowing was increasing. 'They need to stop, she needs to stop', I thought, or was that really me? And who did I mean with she? Both or… one?

How dare you! The glowing increased even more. Without those visions, we would have been shattered long ago! They saved our lives so many times during the war! How can you say that?

Your visions are what almost got us shattered when we met!

You somehow changed fate, you know that. That was the first time anything I foresaw never came true.

And since then, your visions have been faulty!

That is not true! I can now see more outcomes than I ever could before.

Only when you are Garnet… Only when you are together with me…

What is that supposed to mean? Are you trying to tell me I would be nothing without you?

No! I'm just… what if you are wrong about this. It wouldn't be the first time…

…You don't trust me anymore, do you? The question made the glow blinding, and I could feel myself slowly split. You have no faith in my visions anymore. It is not because you don't see and feel them. It is because you don't trust me enough when I say they are not faulty.

You sounded so sure about your vision so many eons ago. And yet… I could somehow change it. How can we be sure that something like that can't happen again?

Please! Just believe in me! Believe that what I see is the truth!

For a moment, the glowing diminished. Was Ruby listening to her?

I can't.

With those final words, I felt the feeling of being split completely, and I fell into my deep slumber.

Third POV:

Garnet split and Ruby and Sapphire landed on the floor. Sapphire sat up with tears in her eye and looked at Ruby who was looking down at the floor with shame on her face.

"Why?"