His feet stumbled through the scorching, uneven sand, his only flip-flop snapping painfully against his heel. He couldn't take in a proper lungful of air, every breath felt like her was swallowing fire. The harder he tried to breathe, the darker the edges of his vision became. The shimmery heat wave that had disfigured the sandy horizon became blurrier as tears stung his gritty eyes. Beads of sweat from his thick hair trailed into his dry mouth and with each uncomfortable swallow he tasted salt.

Steven didn't know where he was running, he only knew that he needed to get away. A wheezy whimper interrupted his painful irregular pants. Steven tried closing his eyes, the bright sand still burned under his eyelids. He could still see his Dad's face and hear that awful screech of that humongous woman.

What would Dad say? What would that woman do to him? He had done something bad, really bad. Bad little boys got grounded and didn't get hugs or kisses. They didn't get cookie-cats, or play games or get to watch TV. Steven had once seen on TV, that bad people went to jail. What if his Dad had to send him to jail? What if the gems didn't want to talk to him or even wanted him out of the house?

Steven opened his eyes, seeing an opening in the hill's serrated rock face. He raced towards it, crawling inside the small opening. He fell on to his stomach, grimacing as granules of cool sand stuck to his sweaty tummy. He sat up, gasping for air pressing his sticky hand against his chest. He winced, shakily lifting his hand into the light leaking from the outside.

The small knuckles of his right hand were stinging, while scrapes littered across both hands bled. He winced as he tried relaxing the fist he had made while running. Beads of sweat burned his open skin and he began to sob. Whenever he got a booboo Pearl would've given him a bandage (a cookie-cat themed one), Amethyst would've joked around to distract him and Garnet would've held him in her lap-but they weren't here. And even if they had been, they wouldn't want anything to do with him. Bad boys didn't deserve such kindness.

He wished the earth would swallow him up. He closed his eyes again, pressing his palms into his inflamed skin, trying to erase it all from his head.

…

"Wow, Dad you really can come to the beach with me?" Steven gasped, jumping up and down in his swim trunks. He was currently in the carwash office, watching as his Dad rummaged for his keys.

"Yep. I can close up a little early today." Greg said with a chuckle. He found the office keys and led his bouncing son out. "Bud, tighten the string around those bad boys or we're gonna get kicked off the beach."

Steven looked down at his sagging trunks and pulled them up as far as they would go. They were a little big, often falling right off him if he wasn't careful. Greg leant down, helping him tie the drawstrings so that his shorts would remain partially covering his gem. Greg locked the office and followed his overactive son toward the beach.

In recent weeks, as Steven had grown more and more independent, he had been given more freedom and responsibilities. The gems were able to go on more missions and Greg was able to work longer hours. Most of the time it was fine, Steven had plenty of friends around Beach City and people watched out for him. But Steven often spent a lot of his free time, alone. Greg had seen his son, sitting alone on the beach, overlooking the ocean with a solemn expression on his face. Greg had been worried that being alone for such long stretches was doing something to his little son's head. Greg had grown up similarly, often without parental supervision and off to his own devices-just sitting around letting the sun soak into his brain.

The sun did strange things to your thoughts. Questions you would never ask out loud suddenly sat heavy on your tongue. Anger and sadness became uncontrollable, bursting in and out of existence as the thoughts swirled like a swampy hurricane in your addled brain. Greg's childhood had been filled with plenty of fights, trying to distract himself from the loneliness. Steven wasn't much of a fighter but he was still probably lonely.

Greg caught up to his jittery son, easily scooping him up into his arms. Greg squeezed as hard as he could, wishing that he could hold Steven there forever. All he wanted to do was protect his son from this big, scary world.

"Dad! Daddy! Let me go!" Steven whined, kicking his little feet in protest.

"Sorry, bud. You know Daddy loves you right?"

"More than hot dogs and pizza and water fights and watermelons and cake! Caaaaause…"

"You're my little star child, straight from space!" Greg finished, kissing his son's sweaty temple. "And nothing's going to change that. Don't you ever forget it!"

"I promise, Dad." Steven groaned, wiping his face of kisses. "Come oooon. I wanna play in the sand! We have to make a sand temple"

"Okay, okay." Greg chuckled, releasing his son. Steven took off, moving much faster than most kids his age. Greg followed, stepping in the sloppy, little footprints left in the sand. Steven had grown so much, but he was still so tiny.

Steven had begun digging a moat and Greg had begun forming the walls. Steven loved the sand. He dug it with ease, ignorant of how hot the sand had become. He was so focused on making sure that he built the most perfect moat ever, that he didn't notice Greg had gone off toward the ocean. Greg had done so to gather some water for the moat and was completely focused on his task.

Steven's hands had finally hit the damp, cold sand. He smiled, his Dad always said that this was good sand to build with. Steven hoped maybe they could actually make a temple with a face this time! Maybe they could make Amethyst's face. Steven sat up, intending to get his bucket when a shadow overhead made him freeze.

The humongous shadow belonged to a giant girl. She was tall, much taller than he was and maybe four times as wide. She had tussled, limp hair brushed into pigtails and a shiny red forehead, dotted with red blemishes all over her cheeks. She stood above him with a messy popsicles dripping down her flabby arm, watching him with beady colorless eyes.

"Uh…hello?" Steven said politely, standing up and offering his hand just like Pearl had taught him to. "My name is Steven, what's yours?"

"Whuzzit to you kid?" The girl sneered, snapping the elastic band of her shiny, neon purple bikini top.

"Oh…um…cause, well um…d-d-do you wanna play?" Steven stuttered. He didn't really have a lot of friends who were girls. There was Sadie, but she was practically a grown-up. Girls his age made Steven kind of nervous.

"Why would I wanna play with a chub-tub like you?" The girl snorted, a big dollop of melted ice cream landing on one her chins.

"W-what's a chub-tub?" Steven asked.

"Issa fat kid like you." The girl scoffed. "I mean haff you lookeded in a mirror lately?"

Steven pressed his arms around his middle and pulled his swim trunks up a little higher. He had known he was a 'big' boy. But Dad had never called him fat, just big-boned. PeeDee didn't seem to mind and Sadie said he was like any other boy his age. If anyone brought up Steven's weight around Pearl, there would be an hour lecture about the variety of human body shapes and how each and every one (Steven's especially) was unique and special.

"I'm not fat." Steven whimpered. He tried to keep his lip from trembling, to be tough like Amethyst had always taught him to be, but he still felt tears stinging his eyes.

"Yeah, you are. Fatty Mcfat butt." The girl snickered, shoving the popsicle in her mouth and obnoxiously popping it out. "That's your Dad over there?"

Steven turned around with a sniffle. "Um…yeah. H-he used to be a rock star."

"More like a boulder star." The girl guffawed. She coughed wheezily, trying to regain her breath as she turned red from exertion.

"Stop saying that!" Steven snapped, deciding that he didn't like this girl. "You're being mean!"

"It's not mean if it's true." She said, wiping her brow and leaving a streak of sticky ice cream on her temple. "I bet you mom's a fat whale too."

Steven gasped, feeling shocked that someone could be so mean. He felt his fist clench and hot blood rush to his cold cheeks. "No she wasn't! She was the prettiest, most beautiful, magic lady ever!"

"Oh yeah? Well where is she then? I don't see any pretty moms, other than mine of course." The girl sniggered, pointing proudly to a morbidly obese woman who was struggling to sit up. A stick-thin man was trying to help her up, knocking over a tattered umbrella next to them in the process.

"Oh…that's your mom and dad?" Steven asked, trying to steer the conversation away from his own mother. Steven had always revered her, placed her on a pedestal in his heart that was sacred. He didn't know much about her and it was hard to ask his Dad or the gems about her, because it made them sad. He hated when people talked bad about her, especially people who were just as clueless as he was about who she really was.

"Yeah. So where's your mom?" The girl asked, scratching her wide gut. Steven could barely see the string that held her bikini bottoms around her pelvis, her stomach hanging impressively low.

"She…uh…well she-?"

"Oooh. I get it. She left you and your fat dad, bet she couldn't love someone so butt ugly!" The girl whispered, waddling closer to Steven. Her hot, sickly sweet breath stinging more tears into his eyes. "I bet she didn't even love you, no one can love someone fat and ugly."

"STOP SAYING THAT!" Steven shouted. "That's not true!"

The girl flinched when Steven yelled and her thick hands clenched into strong fists. She puffed up, expanding her body even broader as she began to huff. She threw her popsicle down in the sand and pushed Steven hard.

Steven fell down into the moat, his back pressed into the cool sand. His blood ran cold in his veins and his heart hammered painfully in chest. He could hear people's voices, someone that sounded a lot like his Dad yelling. But he couldn't really hear him and he didn't want to. This mean…bully had been rude, made fun of him, his Dad and his Mom. She was wrong! His Dad wasn't fat and his Mother loved him. Pearl, Garnet and Amethyst always told him how much she had loved him, without even getting to meet him. What did she know? She was just some mean girl, why had Steven even tried making friends with her?

He launched himself forward and the world went black.

…

Steven rubbed his eyes harder and harder-trying to erase the ugly memories from under his eyelids. Even as he began to sob, he could still hear the girl's awful crying.

What had he done? He shouldn't have said those things? Good boys were kind and didn't say mean things. He deserved to go to 'grown up' jail. He wondered if maybe if Pearl would visit him and sneak him his night light-maybe Amethyst would sneak in and they could still play games. Garnet wouldn't want to visit, she hated criminals. Which Steven now was. Steven wondered when the police would arrive to take him away. On TV the police always knew when a crime had happened and were super-fast in capturing the bad guys. He hoped they had handcuffs small enough for his wrists.

"Steven?"

They were already here. That was fast. Steven wanted to get up and willingly be handcuffed, but he couldn't stop crying. He only sobbed harder as strong hands began to pull him out of the crevice. He covered his hands with his eyes and waited to be slammed into a police car. He hoped the police guys helped him with his seat belt.

But instead a soft, familiar hand began to run its fingers through his sweaty hair. He looked up through blurry eyes and didn't see a police officer, but Garnet.

"Garneh?" Steven snuffled, snot all over his face.

"Hello Steven." She whispered, cradling Steven in her arms.

"W-where are-are the p-police?" Steven mumbled, looking around the empty beach. He rubbed his blurry eyes and wiped his nose. "A-aren't th-they comin' to get me?"

"And why would they be doing that, Steven?" Garnet asked, placing one of her hands on her hips.

"Garnet cause-." Steven paused and then looked down at his tummy. "G-Garnet, y-you should put me d-down. I'm a 'crimimal'. If they see you with me, they'll send us both to jail"

"You're not a criminal, Steven." Garnet hushed, hugging him to her chest.

"But Garnet…I-I-I pushed her Garnet and then we hit each other! And I said lots of mean things and then she s-s-s-started crying and i-it was all my fault! And I-I didn't e-even get to say I-I was sorry cause her mom scared me!" Steven began to cry again, clutching at Garnet's top. Garnet shushed him and kissed his forehead.

"Steven you aren't going to jail."

"But I did a crime!" Steven gasped, hiccupping. "People who do bad things and crimes, has to go to jail!"

"Pushing someone is a bad thing, Steven. I'm glad you know that and I can tell you're sorry." Garnet assured him. "Your Dad was really scared when you ran off like that. You shouldn't have run away."

Garnet began to walk away from Steven's hiding spot, bouncing Steven in her arms.

"I'm sorry Garnet." Steven whispered and then sighed heavily. He looked past Garnet's shoulder and rested his head against her hair. "I got scared that Dad would be disappointed in me."

"And why would Greg be disappointed in you?" Garnet asked.

"Cause, he's always talkin' about how Mom was peaceful and loving. Not fighting if she didn't hafta. He says that I'm just like her all the time." Steven mumbled, closing his eyes and breathing in Garnet's familiar scent. "He misses her a whole lot. So I try to be just like her, but…"

Garnet stopped their slow return back to the temple and sighed. They really didn't give Steven the credit he deserved. Though he was often a bit of an airhead and a little confused, he was very observant of their feelings. Steven had always been very empathetic to the people around him, he knew when things weren't okay, no matter how much anyone tried to hide it. Garnet knew that Steven had been semi-aware of the expectations they all had for him.

They had begun teaching him more and more about gem monsters, their history and the legacy of his mother. Steven had been in awe, his eyes wider than saucers and bright as stars. There wasn't a day since they had begun his crystal gem education that he wasn't begging to go on mission and fight alongside with them.

"You don't have to be like her, Steven." Garnet said, holding Steven in front of her face. He refused to look at her visor, instead eyes downcast.

"I want to be like her. She sounds so…awesome." Steven sighed with a soft smile. "I think about her a whole bunch. I wonder if she would like playing Steven tag or whether or not she likes fry bits or pizza."

"You know you could just ask us, right?" Garnet asked with a soft smile.

"It makes you guys…sad to talk about her." Steven mumbled, peeking up at Garnet under his lashes.

"Mmm…sometimes yes. Your mother was an amazing gem. She was more than our leader-she… was…"

"Your family!" Steven finished.

"Yeah, she was our family." Garnet whispered, she pressed Steven into her chest. "We all really miss her, but no matter how sad we may get-we really want you to know about her. But you don't have to be her, we want you to be Steven."

Steven snuggled into Garnet's neck, wrapping his little arms around her neck. "Even if I sometimes get mad and-and fight people who are mean?"

"Steven, your mother was very loving and she was quite peaceful but we're all here because she fought people who were being mean to the planet." Garnet chuckled, resuming her stroll back to the temple. "I don't think your dad will be too upset with you. There are mean people out there, I think he's glad that you didn't just sit there and take it."

"Thanks, Garnet." Steven mumbled, rubbing his heavy eyes. "How do you always know what to say?"

"It's a secret." Garnet chuckled. "One day when you're older, I'll tell you."

"Okay," Steven mumbled tiredly. All that running and crying had tired him out. Garnet's familiar gait lulled him to a peaceful and well needed doze. He was so relieved to not be going to jail that he couldn't even sit up if he wanted to. "I love you, Garnet."

"I love you too, Steven." Garnet whispered, a small smile on her lips as Steven's breathing began to deepen and slow. She kissed his cheek and chuckled when Steven sleepily pressed his cheek into hers for a sloppy kiss.

"Garnet…?"

"Yes, cutie pie?"

"If maybe the police still come by…you won't let them take me away right?" Steven yawned, his fingers curling into Garnet's hair.

"As long as I'm around, nobody's ever gonna take you away." Garnet said with another firm kiss.

Steven hugged Garnet, smiling sleepily as Garnet's hands rubbed his back. He was glad he had Garnet and Pearl and Amethyst and especially his Dad. Whenever he got scared, they were always there for him. He felt kind of silly for thinking they would stop loving him just cause he made one mistake. His Dad was always telling him that no matter what he did, he would always be his star child. Garnet would never stop giving the best hugs, Pearl would never stop fussing over him, Amethyst would always play with him and Dad would always be his Dad. They loved him no matter what he did-whether it was smearing peanut butter on Pearl's swords or playing on the warp pad.

Steven knew he wasn't probably wasn't ever gonna be as awesome as his Mom was, but he knew that as long as he had his family; he'd be alright.

"Oh, Garnet, you found him! Thank goodness, is he alright. Oh, he's so red. Did he pass out? Ooh, Greg! You should've let Amethyst and I talk to that horrid woman!"

"Yeah, Greg. We could've uh…calmed her down a bit." Amethyst growled. "She's lucky we were on a mission or I woulda-."

"Hush you two." Garnet ordered quietly. "Steven's tired and I think he needs a nap. Greg, it's been a long day. You and Steven can rest on his bed in the house."

"Thank you so much, Garnet." Greg whispered, tears in his eyes. "I was so scared. Was he crying? That woman nearly cursed my head off and Steven heard everything she said. He's so sensitive and-and…I didn't want him to think it was his fault that I got yelled at."

Garnet passed Steven to Greg, who held him with a watery sigh. Greg furiously kissed Steven's curly head.

"He's okay, Greg." Garnet assured him, placing her hand on his shoulder. Greg was still regaining his color and shaking slightly as he hugged his son. When Garnet had first seen Greg after they had arrived from their mission, he had been a shocking shade of white that certainly wasn't healthy. He had been stuttering, shaking and crying so hard that they could barely understand him. He had been searching for Steven for over an hour and had gotten the Pizzas to help look, but they couldn't find him.

"Those…those rude humans!" Pearl snapped. "How dare they speak to you or Steven that way?"

Amethyst and Pearl continued their quiet onslaught of angry insults at the human race and tourists. Garnet opened the door for Greg and Steven and watched as Greg slowly made his way upstairs. Greg tucked Steven in before slumping down next to him, immediately beginning to snore. Pearl pranced up the stairs, making sure Steven was comfortable before laying a towel over Greg.

"Garnet, are you sure we can't go deal with that woman?" Pearl whispered, dancing down the stairs on her tip toes.

"Yeah G. Can't we just give her a little motivation to never come back to this town?" Amethyst said, rubbing her hands together with a wicked glint in her eye.

"No."

"But-."

"Ahhh, come on G."

Garnet merely raised one of her hands to silence them and grinned. "Because we already, handled it. Trust me, we won't be seeing them again."

A/N: Steven seems like the type of kid that starts off thinking the best of everyone and then if pushed to the limit snaps, but then feels super bad about it later. The heat in Texas has been driving me a little crazy and Steven went a little crazy too.

Thanks to all the favorites, follows and reviews. Thanks to all of you who sent PMs with prompts, I'm looking through them and trying to see if I can write any of them. Also thanks for taking the time to review, your kind words have helped definitely helped with the writer's block. I found a story I'd written a few weeks ago lost in the 300 odd pages of Steven Universe fanfiction, I plan on posting it later today.