Hope doesn't disappear, it just needs to be found again.

"Connie. You have to wake up." Steven echoed.

She looked up to see herself on top of Steven's head. Or at least, a statue of him. She could see another monster on top of it. It had Steven's shirt and jeans, but...it had longer and messy black hair that covered a face that was looking down and was much larger than Steven himself. His arms were the gross clawed ones that dragged Lilith away earlier, as his feet were in the same state. Connie slowly landed on top as she approached him. She had to be in the deepest part of his psyche. Instinct overrode her with something fierce, as her gem blinked rapidly.

"Steven?" She said, raspy.

"DON'T LOOK AT ME!" He roared as he dragged himself back, with the echoes shrilling as they faded.

He wasn't wrong about losing before. Surely they could reverse this. It wasn't too late.

"I'm telling you to wake up...I don't want you to see this...WHY WON'T YOU LET ME DO THIS CONNIE?"

Onyx Shields formed from above, although they were more square in nature, with the targe design, complete with spikes, preventing Connie from getting closer to him.

"You said you couldn't this on your own." She reminded him, as she clutched the chest of her shirt.

This was painful from all angles. A world, winded in the depths of an internal torment she could only describe as void of hopelessness.

"No...I need you to get out there...I...you've gone too deep here. I think...I dunno...I don't even know anymore. I can't...Connie..." He croaked, falling apart.

The shields broke apart as Steven could barely stand under his own power, leaning on his giant hands, like he was crawling on all fours like a primal. She ran up to him as fast as she could and went down on her knees and ran her fingers through his hair to touch his bony cheeks. She forced him to look up. His eyes were but the same static from before, not to mention looking slightly older. Black veins rose up from his neck to his checks and faded inwards. Every time he opened his mouth she could see rows of razor sharp teeth.

"I didn't get to do what I wanted to do before you were taken by her." Connie told him, without fear in her voice.

The look of surprise on his face was amusing as he was left gaping. Stars fizzled out of his eyes through the static occasionally, knowing the glance of amazement all too well. What she wanted to do, what her Heart desired was to give him the extra power to hold on for a little while longer, no matter how much hurt it would cause her. As the Hope guided Peridot to help form Tiger Iron, this Hope too would allow Steven to cling on the vestiges of his own humanity and his own gem self, at least until they get the Black Diamond out.

She brushed his hair away from his forehead, to gently press her lips against it. It made him blush, then glow slightly as his form returned to normal, becoming the only Steven she should know. Tears fell from his eyes as Connie continue to hold his cheeks, rubbing them with her thumbs as he blushed.

"Connie..." He muttered.

He was the last person who deserved this. No one deserved this. Cruelty so unnecessary to rule over his world. Her heart was charged with passionate energy, which lead to the rhythmic marches of a two thousand feet, patting in sync with one another.

"Black Diamond...I don't know how to persuade him to leave."

Black Diamond was incredibly obdurate in the face of discovering his own light. The marches came from an army of Dark Snow Quartzes, their eyes deep in infection. Each of them had their individual characteristics however, suggesting these Snow Quartzes...were already infected gems Lilith had either possessed, or they were driven as fakes forged by Black Diamond himself. The marches beat was infectious unto itself.

"I don't know if I can protect everyone."

He's done enough.

"Steven, not all battles can be fought with words alone." Connie explained.

"You're fighting so hard already. I want to help any way I can. I am Connie Maheswaran, Half-Gem, like you. I am here to hold your burdens as you have with mine."

A ring of Stevonnie's formed around them, preparing Connie's blade and Steven's Shield against the Dark Snow Quartz army.

"We have each other to form someone like none other to fight the battles neither of us can."

The army stopped as they surrounded them. Their stance was so uptight, holding long spears in their hands and their faces so blank and lifeless you could mistake them for statues.

"Stevonnie would just risk infecting you!" Steven said with urgency.

"I never asked you do any of this to yourself. For me."

They didn't consciously ask for Stevonnie to exist either. But it happened.

Connie didn't ask for the mutations that had altered her DNA. But it happened.

Steven didn't ask for a lot of the misgivings and life changing events. They all happened.

"I didn't lie when I said I wanted to be a part of your universe." Connie said, not realizing on her face was drawing closer to his again. The army charged forward as each of the Stevonnie's stood to their defense.

"I'll take the chance if it means saving you."

The Stevonnie army swung hard and fast, ensuring not a single Dark Snow Quartz breached their defenses as Connie took Steven to his feet, allowing them to see each other as equals, their eyes locked on with one another. A Whirlwind of emotions messed with her core from the stare alone, a force so powerful it would bring the worlds cruelest ruler to their knees.

"You've sacrificed too much." Steven whimpered.

"I want to fight with you...but I don't want to lose you either."

Connie never took it as a personal sacrifice, but an honour, a pledge. If it meant rearranging the foundations of her own humanity, so be it. She knew who she wanted to define as herself, no matter what her own body decided to do as a result. If she took the route of choice, then she would own that choice. If it was made for her and that fate told her to accept it, she would only accept that fate as long as she still held the power to own to choose to become Hope Diamond. An alternate universe would have left her to die on her own terms if need be.

"I don't want this to become like it was before...Pearl asked a lot of you. I don't want you to fall under the same idea again."

No. It wasn't going to. She wasn't going to. Connie wouldn't let it.

"I am the same, Steven." She assured him.

"Seeing White Diamond pulling out your gem the first time was beyond devastating. Seeing you lying there, wondering if you were dead...it broke my heart...but you were barely breathing and I took that chance to bring you out like I'm trying to do now. I reunited you with your Gem because it needed to be done. Then seeing reunite with your gem...it brought..."

Her gem started glowing again as Steven glanced at it.

"It brought Hope. It made Hope stronger. There's so much power in wanting and needing things to be as they should be. To be themselves and to be happy and healthy. I want that for you...I don't want to lose you myself."

They ignored the battle as grunts and clashes became null to their ears.

"I want you to be happy too." Steven told her.

"I want people to be happy."

Of course he does. That's what made him too important to lose. Even in dire situations like these, the world needed a beacon of joy to shine its light on all who were willing to accept it. Not to mention the reasons Connie needed him for.

"You make me happy already." She said, combing her fingers through his hair. Her heart threatened to escape her chest as she felt droplets on her cheeks.

"You make me feel so many emotions I'm not even sure which one I'm feeling right now. There's a lot to say when one person gives you a giant kaleidoscope of the entire human emotional spectrum."

Should she say it? Should she say the words here and now? She almost squeaked as Steven hugged her tightly as more tears fell on heir own volition.

"I love you too Connie." He said into her ear, out of the blue.

The girl froze, not believing the words he said out loud and before she even had the chance to . The sky fractured again, revealing a mix of pure white and violet as the world turned brighter. With each Dark Snow Quartz destroyed, they were replaced by sprouting bouquets of different flowers. Red roses, violet flowers, white jasmines were among ones Connie recognized. She giggled, knowing that she was talking to the one person who loved love. Of course he'd know love when he saw it. It didn't stop the flow of inflammation in her stomach, His own laughed synced with hers as their gems started to glow. Her eyes opened, noticing the light as she stepped back, taking Steven's earlier words into consideration. If he did not want to fuse, she wasn't going to force him to. Although most other times were accidental in these scenarios. Thank goodness she had the quicker reflex this time.

"Oh...oh my Steven we can't." Connie voiced with concern.

The boy was blushed hard as he laughed nervously.

"I uh...I understand. We can't help ourselves sometimes." He joked.

The world they created together looked peaceful, as all the duplicates left, leaving the two alone in the fields of flowers that bloomed and danced in the winds.

"The Fusion we'd have through Black Diamond wouldn't make for anything in our control. Who knows who we would make." He warned.

They instead held hands and took what little time they could have in reaffirming themselves. The genuine expression of love on Steven was one that comforted her in a sense of a serene warmth. Not enticing, but like peaceful waves on her heart.

"I am just content on seeing you here with me." Connie told him, she then giggled.

"But ya know, don't have to fuse to show how we feel."

Other ideas floated in her head, causing both of them a great deal of anxiety. It'd come to the point in their lives with the question of when, not if, it was going to happen and in the long run it was only ever to be with him. The boy who whisked her away into an adventure of a life time and broke her out of her shell. She had so much to be thankful for that she had no qualms in giving what he needed when he needed it the most. To retain his sense of morals and who he was supposed to be, in the face of those who had predisposed expectations prior. Much had changed since then, but the struggle would remain as is in the modern day where he still had to work hard enough to maintain the balance in the relationships between humans and gemkind. He wanted to do this and no one really had any objection but the others, he was closest to would complain he was less at the Beach House than he had ever been and to hang with those he loved. This was a normal human like thing as humans grew. Her parents noted that as they became adults that had lost touch with old friends as they moved around and this just happened from time to time.

It came to Steven's emotional growth that needed more tending to. Connie promised Steven that the only people she could tell the story on Homeworld to was her parents. Even then, she purposefully omitted some of the details, like when it came to White's infamous act. Steven never told the gems. She wasn't even sure if Greg knew that this wasn't the first time that this had happened. Knowing how he freaked out over all this did give Connie a perspective on it in general.

For now, all Connie was able to process was being able to deal with her own emotional onslaught. Steven loved her too. She wanted to press to wonder if he meant it in that way. He loves everyone. He loves his family. Was he in love with her however...

"I know. I know...well...just in case then." He said as he got closer again.

Steven appeared entirely nervous, sweating. He cleared his throat.

" uhh...I want to, but I uhh..."

For the boy who loved love but didn't know how to deal with it on a more deeper level for himself. It was incredibly cute. He raised his hand as Connie watched it shake under pressure of his own willpower. Connie wanted him to initiate it but also remembered how passive he could be when it came to the...ahem physical aspects of life. He could both such a gentleman, a romantic and an outright adorable dork.

"Did...you want help?" She asked, not even expecting herself saying that to begin with.

"I mean, we don't have to do this if you're going to be uncomfortable with it."

Steven shook his his head and reaffirmed his stance as he puffed his chest and gave off an air of confidence. He pulled Connie in by her waist with his left hand, causing her to yelp as he pulled her close. His right hand caressed her cheek as he drew his face towards hers. Her heart started to beat faster and faster, until she saw his eyes glitch briefly. Something like lightning struck her, a realization as he closed his eyes. The sound of broken glass went off nearby, distracting her as Pink Steven emerged from afar to sucker punch human Steven in the face. It sent him flying as Connie stood back and pressed her hands against her face in total shock.

Their realm broke apart into the deep purple version of Rose's Room as Pink Steven stood in front of Connie, as human Steven started fizzing about.

"I am the real Steven. WHY CAN'T YOU ACCEPT THAT?" He roared, shaking the room with his power and anger.

Was...that Black Diamond?

"Your infection levels were high. She will be here soon to pick you up." Said Pink Steven.

Oh no...no no...

"How could he do that?" Connie questioned, frantic over being lied to and toyed with.

"Black Diamond and myself are interchangeable. My Heart is being managed by Lilith and Black Diamond at this depth. I cannot control it. Only Black Diamond has the connection at this point." Pink Steven answered.

"Your Aura and your Heart are the only things I can connect to now. While Black Diamond resides here, he controls my humanity as my humanity remains its Heart."

Black Diamond stood up and walked forward in pure anger. His form changed from colour and black and white constantly.

"She loves me...she gives me Hope." Black Diamond cried as he put his hand on his chest. Desperation clouded his mind, unable to find its way out of the fog.

You do not need Hope. Whispered Lilith.

I love you Steven.

"He can no longer tell the difference between my Heart and himself. The Heart and the Aura have fused successfully. But his Aura has been changed. Altered. It's a blurred line that was not what it once was before." Pink Steven continued.

It explains why Steven was so afraid to fuse. By accepting Black Diamond into himself, they're indistinguishable. Connie became drenched in fear and regret as a storm blew around with thunder and rain. Connie was foolish to ignore his pleas to wake up. He knew this ahead of time and she was so stupid to chalk it up to Steven being afraid as well, not wanting her to be dragged into his problems. And her problem was that she didn't trust him enough. Her heart was splintered as she fell to her knees upon that very revelation. She clearly didn't understand anything. Whats the point of being given all this power and not being able to use it to its fullest potential? She didn't want to give up...or give in, but despair rode her like a horse she needed to shake off.

A bright light from above poured down from above. A great white hand emerged from it to reach for Connie, who was too far in her own thoughts to resist. She'd thrown about, poked and prodded far too often.

Connie it's Snow! Come on, wake up!

Was it really wrong to Hope?