This took far too long to get up. but hey, that episode! and... stars lots of things happening on the show aren't there?

This is my last fic of the year and it has been so much fun writing this and I've enjoyed your comments so much. Thank You, you have truly made this year fantastic!

see you friday. :)

Rose didn't regret shattering Pink Diamond. That was one thing she was sure of. But she could never have anticipated some of these consequences. The Cluster, corruption, Yellow Diamond coming to Earth, Steven, there was no way she could have expected any of this. But even Garnet couldn't have predicted that White Diamond would come to Earth, or... at least someone with White Diamond's gem.

"This is Domina!" Steven said, gesturing towards the diamond. "She's uh-"

"White Diamond." Domina said. She inclined her head gently, the way most of Homeworld's elite addressed equals, or the way one diamond acknowledged another. It took all Rose had not to panic.

"I- I see." Rose said, stepping out of her room so the door could close, despite the fact that all she wanted to do was hide in it.

It would make sense for Rose Quartz to be nervous in front of the leader of gem kind, it would make sense for anyone to be nervous. Even if they didn't have a previous relationship with said leader. Or rather said leader's mother. What had happened that made White give up her form? Even having seen Yellow's change on Earth, Rose couldn't imagine anything that would soften White.

"Nice to meet you." Domina said, though nothing about her voice indicated that it actually was. "I've heard a lot about you." Domina's eyes darted to Rose's gem.

"I wish I could say the same!" Rose said with a nervous chuckle. There was still a chance Domina didn't know. Domina smiled softly, Rose remembered seeing White smile once and this one was different, like the difference between Yellow's and Steven's, warmer, more full of life.

"Most of the empire doesn't know I exist, and I tend to stay away from Homeworld proper." Domina paused, eyes flickering down again. "Of course, I'm a little after your time. You've missed quite a bit." Still no hard proof that she knew. Rose nodded.

"So I've seen," She caught Steven watching them, relieved, out of the corner of her eye. And part of her wished that she had told him, so she could avoid all this. Times like this made the past harder to tamp down. But maybe Domina hadn't figured it out, maybe she could have a fresh start with White Diamond.

"Could we talk?" Domina asked, then looked apologetically at Steven, shattering any ease Rose felt. "Alone. Sorry, Steven."

"Oh uh, yeah. That's fine with me... I guess." Steven looked a little disappointed, giving Rose a flashback to being sent out of the room whenever the other diamonds needed to talk. But she really wasn't ready for Steven to know who she was, not yet.

"We really don't have to talk now." Rose said dismissively. "I'm sure you want to look around. After all, I'll still be here." Or in the middle of the Sahara, as far away from a warp pad as she could get. Domina's smile twisted into something closer to the smile that Rose remembered, one with thin patience that still hinted at superiority. Though there was something else to it, a hint of the exhaustion she had seen from Yellow during her first few months on Earth.

"I'd really rather we do talk now." Domina said, "I need to get back relatively soon."

"Should I pack?" Steven piped up. Rose took a moment to stop panicking for her sake and looked between Steven and a very confused Domina.

"Why would you need to pack?" she asked.

"Well... You came here to get my mom right?" Steven said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Stars there were too many similarities between him and Yellow sometimes. Was he really going to try and take on everything Yellow had done on Homeworld?

"I... did." Domina said. Rose glanced at Domina. She knew that this wasn't White, that much was clear. But surely Domina was different enough that she wouldn't pull Steven away from Earth. She had to be. Domina looked at Rose and frowned, then looked back at Steven. "You don't need to pack, I'll talk to you about it later."

Steven looked like he wanted to argue, something Yellow certainly would never have done with White, but he didn't, Domina gave him a pleading look and he sighed.

"Fine, I'll be at the car wash," He said, then pointed towards the building and gave Domina some directions. Finally they were alone, and Domina turned to look at her, sparing the temple door a brief glance.

"Is there any chance anyone else will come out of there any time soon?" She asked.

"The others are on a mission," Rose said, they had just left but Garnet said they wouldn't be long. They didn't need to know about this either. About her. Not yet. Not until... stars until she could free pearl from the order. What had she been thinking?

"So yes." Domina said, she pursed her lips and leapt down to the beach, close to the shore. Rose followed her with a gentle step off the side. No use running now. This White Diamond knew, and Rose wasn't leaving Earth, not even to escape the wrath of the diamonds.

Rose settled on the sand next to Domina, who was pacing in a very Yellow like manner, occasionally a wave would lap at her boot and she would hop out of the way, startled. What would it be like, a human raised so far away from her home planet, never having seen the ocean?

"Domina-" Rose began softly, Domina stopped and a gust of air ruffled the sand that she had tracked through, blowing it like a cloud into the air.

"Don't," She said agitated. "Just, don't." She still didn't look at Rose. Instead, she took a deep breath and turned to Rose, her face as calm as White's was during an agate's report. "I think I understand what happened but why not explain and we'll see if I'm right, Pink."

Was it really so crazy? Hadn't Domina wished she wasn't a diamond before? Hadn't she wished that she could just be a normal gem? Not a diamond, not a hybrid, just a normal gem, without all the tension and questioning looks around her.

Was this really so different from letting new gems onboard the fleet think she was just some goshenite who had cracked with old age than a diamond who was anything but all powerful?

Then again, Domina had never led a rebellion over one planet, fought against herself and then faked her death.

"Stars," Was all that came out in the end. Domina didn't look at Pink- Rose- "Which do you prefer?" She asked after too long mulling over it.

"Rose." The Diamond said. Domina nodded, still not looking at Rose.

"No one else knows?"

"Pearl does, and Yellow did." Rose said, she paused for a moment, "And you mother knew, I think."

"Of course she did. The pearl that belonged to my mother?"

"Pearl belongs to no one." Rose said sharply. And finally Domina looked at her and saw something that was far more stable than the barely concealed panic from before. Within Rose's expression was the glow of a gem loyal to those around her. And Domina had to appreciate that, even if she wasn't happy with the former diamond.

"Everyone belongs to someone," She pursed her lips and folded her arms in preparation for the next answer. "What about my pearl? You didn't think to tell her, she thinks you were shattered you know."

Rose deflated slightly. "I... I wasn't sure I could trust her, and by the time she came along everything was happening, and then she was with White-"

"So what?" Domina snapped. "She was your pearl she would have done anything you asked!" Rose recoiled.

"Do you really think I would have ordered her to do something she didn't want, this whole rebellion was about having a choice! Earth is about having a choice!"

"Earth is a planet, it's not about anything!" Domina snapped. "It's remarkably prosperous but it's just a planet!"

"How can you say that?" Rose looked frustrated, maybe as livid as she had been before. "You're half human! This is your home!"

"My home?!" Domina felt her words grow icy, anger long held back finally bubbling to the surface. "My home is the fleet I haven't seen in twenty star's cursed years. The closest thing I have to a home planet is a dust ball two hundred and fifty seven light years away from Homeworld!" White Diamond shouted, heedless of the small sandstorm she had whipped from the sands around her. "This is not my home, and don't pretend like it should be just be cause I'm half human, that means nothing!" Rose had backed away as she moved closer. "Because I'm half diamond too!"

"Rose!" A pearl's voice shouted, Domina snapped back to reality and sand collapsed to the ground, she turned and found an ornate spear aimed at her, held by a pearl. Her mother's former pearl. Alongside her were an overcooked amethyst and... Something else, some kind of garnet maybe? Domina racked her brain for the types that had been discontinued since era 2 began. She shook her head, it wasn't important.

"Pearl, I'm fine. She's fine." Rose said quickly, jostling Domina to the side.

"Who the heck are you!?" The Amethyst shouted, baring a whip threateningly. White Diamond rolled her eyes, she had more important things to do.

"Leaving." Domina said, lifting herself into the air. She could see the building Steven had said he would be at.

"Domina!" Rose called. Domina sighed and looked back down.

"What, Rose Quartz." Domina said, feeling the venom of her words tingle on her tongue.

"About us... here. And what we talked about." Rose said, she was trying to project the air of a leader who had won the conversation, instead of a gem who had been caught. But then again, hadn't Domina wished she wasn't a diamond before? And didn't she hate it when the spell of anonymity broke around her?

"It will remain confidential." Domina finally said, letting her voice project. The pearl's eyes went wide and looked frantically between her and Rose, a hand slowly rising to her mouth. Domina frowned and narrowed her eyes at Rose. "But I will be back. After all, I have another Diamond to look in on."

She touched down onto the rock in front of the building and immediately was addressed.

"Hey, uh Domina, right?"

She looked up and saw a human man with long hair that was balding at the top of his head. His skin was damaged slightly, turning red in a very familiar pattern. She pushed away thoughts of her father, definitely not time to dwell on those thoughts.

"Yes, you must be Steven's father?" She asked, Steven grinned and slid off a nearby chair.

"Yup!" The man held out his hand, "Greg Universe." Domina blinked at the hand and bowed slightly.

"Nice to meet you," She hesitated, how should she even react in this situation? "Thank you for... helping Yellow learn how to..."

"...Love?" Greg asked hesitantly.

"I was thinking relax but sure, love works too." Domina said finally. Steven cleared his throat and Domina could practically hear Yellow say 'Can we please move on?'

"You said we'd talk." Steven said hopefully.

"I did." Domina said. "I... walk with me, to the ship?"

"Uh..." Greg hesitated, his face going very nervous very quickly.

"I'm not taking him anywhere." Domina said, holding her hands up in surrender. "I promise, he said he wanted to see my ship, and I told him I'd talk to him about Homeworld."

"Alright, ok good." Greg said. "Hope to see you again... maybe you should come visit, after all you're family." Stars, that was a word she hadn't heard in a while. Domina smiled softly.

"I'll have to."

"So... don't you need my help?" Steven asked as they made their way to the Styx.

"Oh I definitely do." Domina said. "But you're fourteen."

"So? I can learn about Diamond stuff. I'm old enough, how old were you?"

"Twelve." Domina sighed. "But that's different. Anyway, your father's here and..." Domina paused, and shook her head to clear it. No not the time to think about her father. There would be time for that later. "Enjoy your life here while you can." Domina turned and smiled down at him. "Homeworld's not going anywhere. And who knows, maybe I'll finally be able get some changes made."

"Well..." Steven frowned, irritated. "Is there anything I can do to help?" Domina shook her head as she opened the door to The Styx, definitely Yellow's child.

"I'll see what I can send you..." Then she paused as the door opened in front of them and Steven's eyes went wide. She'd have to work on setting up communications. Somehow.

Pink ordered another screen.

"At least I didn't break it this time!" Domina said cheerily, happier than she had been when they arrived on Earth. Which was good, it had been too long since Pearl had seen her happy.

"True, hopefully Steven will find it useful and be able to help some. I know her- his pearl was certainly happy to have contact back with Homeworld." Pearl said. That was an understatement, Yellow could certainly be dramatic.

"Good," Domina said still smiling. The diamond leaned back in her chair and opened the ship's console. Instantly the screen filled with alerts from Homeworld, and Domina groaned, only a little dramatically.

"Yellow mentioned that the Crystal Gems are still on Earth." Pearl continued hesitantly. Her feelings on the Crystal Gems were... complicated to say the least. Between how their actions had disrupted her life before and how she used her extraordinary amount of freedom within her position now, there was a lot to process when she dwelled on it.

Domina's face immediately went serious, not in anger or in any attempt to project the image of a diamond, just as if she had remembered an uncomfortable fact.

"They... are." Domina said, she paused and looked at pearl a few times. "I spoke with Rose Quartz."

Pearl froze.

"Oh." She said shortly, opening her own console. Normally that ended the conversation, Domina was polite enough not to pry into her past with Pink Diamond, and Pearl certainly wasn't going to volunteer any information.

"Pearl?" Domina said, in a tone that projected a child of about 10, wondering if she would be allowed to go on a supply run without her supervision.

"Yes, Domina?" She asked, already dreading the oncoming questions.

"I... have something to tell you."