A/N: Hello everyone! SO sorry about the delay! You have no idea how long it took me to write this (short) chapter. I mean holy cow. First I wrote it a lot longer than this but it was shortened for some reasons. Reason 1 being: If you didn't know, I write all my stories on my phone, but I had to restart my phone, erasing all its content, including the original draft. Reason 2 being: This is my least favorite part of the story to write, mainly cause the rest of the chapters have more character interaction and this one is a little short on that. So once again, sorry for the delay.

Replies: (I'm replying to the comments that are within the 24 hours I've submitted the Chapter or Super Direct Questions, because it would take a while to respond to each and every one, not to mention the A/N: Will be too long for my liking hahaha)(BUT JUST AN FYI: I DO read all your reviews and I appreciate every comment, even critiques! No review is left unnoticed and I thank all of you ! :D )

Ham: I'm so glad you've enjoyed it! I hope you stick around for the rest!

iggychan89: I'm so glad for your honest review (trust me it helps). I feel where you're coming from. Steven does usually act friendlier towards Peridot and last chpter kinda does make him seem OOC to see him kinda jumpy and afraid of her right? However I think that Steven is more calm around her when they're alone together, rather than with her and a dangerous gem like Jasper in the room too. He wasn't willing to be friendly towards her when she arrived on Earth with Jasper and Lapis in tow. However this is just my assumption that Steven is frightened of her when he's not alone with her. You may be right about him being OOC here and I'm sorry about that oTL. But! There will be some chapters where Steven hangs out with Peridot, so I hope you'll see the friendliness there!

Kraven the Hunter: ;-; Poor Steven! I'm sure he'll be okay soon :)

MadamMandarinPear: Thank you! I hope you stick around more for the fun!:D

20Last-Sparkle01: Oh man you're coming up with a lot of ideas there! All I can say to that is 'Maaaaayyybbeeeeee :0' And yes, SU fans need a little suffering here and there! :D

Bubble77: Thank You! Maaaybee we may see it... maaaybbbeee nott :3

Shirainai Atsune: That's a really good question. All I can say is wait and seeee! :D

FanficLovingPerson: DAMN YOU GARNET AND AMETHYST! (wherever they aree?) .

DeathBright: Thank you so much! I appreciate the encouraging words! Oh my, you can FEEL the sadness from your phone?! ;A; I'm so sorry!

Kaitou Kid San: Wow I'm definitely flattered! don't mind if you're writing a parallel story to this one! Thanks for asking me first. Please reference me and/or this story when you do so!

Okay now- wait! I FORGOT:

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own Steven Universe in any way. That right goes to the Miss Talented Rebecca Sugar. Steven Universe also belongs to ROse Quartz and Greg Universe!

NOW, Without Further Ado, here comes Chapter 3!

END A/N:

CH3: Greg

Tpt tpt tpt tpt.

The sound of his bare feet on the pavement as he ran.

Thu-thump. Thu-thump. Thu-Thump.

The sound of his heart, rattling against his chest.

Wooosh. Woooosh.

The sound of the ironically calm ocean water washing up on the beach behind him.

Steven was running as fast as he could. He needed to be away. Away from the madness. Away from Homeworld Gems. Away from his home. He didn't understand. He didn't want to understand. All he knew was that, three of his favorite people were gone. No, it was even worse.

They were replaced.

Replaced by the enemy, at that.

Not only that Garnet and Amethyst's names were completely off the grid, but Pearl, Steven's beloved Pearl, was apparently in space somewhere. Hundreds of thousands of lightyears away, according to Jasper's brief explanation.

Steven didn't know how to perceive this absurd reality. It was impossible. It was unfathomable. It was surreal.

It was happening.

It was happening, and he was running away from it.

Steven didn't even spare the Homeworld Gems a glance as he left the Temple. He didn't even dare to look back. He was just hoping that this was all fabricated.

Steven needed to see a fresh face. A face that he knew that he can love and trust, reassuring him that things were fine. As if 'fine' was the word to describe this distressing matter. However, Steven knew that this person, his father, could always say or do something that would make him feel better. He always have, and this time would be no different.

Another onslaught of tears rolled down his face as he continued to run. As if the emotional distress wasn't enough, Steven body felt like he was just in a fight with a pro-wrestler. His body ached and his head throbbed. He felt sick. If it weren't for the dramatic events that just took place in his home, he would most definitely would have considered finding Lion and have him take him to a hospital.

Although, he felt like just collapsing on the pavement in pure exhaustion, Steven's pace never faltered. He kept running and running, hoping that he reached his father before his legs gave out. And, just before they did, on the horizon, not too far away, Steven could see the top of the car wash building that his father owned. He could see the symbol of an elephant dowsing itself with water, with the highlighted letters saying, "It's A Wash". As he kept getting closer to the building, the view of his father's van was in its usual parking spot, with its owner beside it, scrubbing at the sliding door.

Steven's heart quivered with delight as he took in the familiar sight of his father. At least this aspect of his life didn't change. He gave a relieved smile and if possible, ran even faster towards him, yelling his father's name.

Greg turned around as he heard his name and gave a small gasp, yelling back, "Steven?"

Greg saw his son scramble towards him with puffy eyes and tears rolling down his face. Steven ran full speed into his father's plumped belly, and wrapped his arms around him, burying his face. He clung to his father as if his life depended on it, now crying relieved tears that at least one of his family members remained in his life. "You're here," Steven mumbled to himself, "You're really here."

Steven embraced his father for what seemed like hours to him. His father was his personal comfort. When he couldn't rely on the Crystal Gems to help him with "emotional human stuff", his father was always an adult that he could depend on. Even though his father would sometimes doubt his own abilities to be a good parent, Steven would always assure him that he was the best father that any kid could ask for. Greg was supportive of everything Steven believed in, and was always concerned about his son's well being. And with those concerns, Greg would always find some way to comfort his son, whether it was from an emotion lecture to a simple hug, Greg was always there for Steven. Always.

Steven clung to Greg, tightly, silently sobbing with relief. However, Greg oddly didn't return the embrace, instead he just stood there as if he was frozen. They stood like that for a while, before Greg wriggled uncomfortably out of Steven's grasp. Steven felt his father's discomfort and slowly released his death grip.

What was wrong? Greg never shrugged off a hug from Steven. Was Steven accidentally stepping on his toes? Was he hugging him too tightly? Yeah, maybe that was it. Steven dropped his arms and instead, held the hem of his father's tank top, while looking up at him with his hopeful, watery eyes. However, that was a huge mistake.

Steven's face faltered for a bit as he saw the look on his father's face. He wasn't happy to see him. He wasn't surprised, or sad. Hell, Steven would have picked an angry Greg, than the look he was giving him now. The look on Greg's face was a distant and confused one. His father never looked at him like that before, and it was more than unsettling. The look was almost as bad when that one time, Steven accidentally slapped Garnet's shades off of her face when she tried to take away the mirror that Lapis was trapped in. That look that she gave Steven sent horrified chills down his spine, and constantly reminded him to never do anything like that remotely close ever again.

However, the look that his father was giving him was as if Greg and Steven weren't related. Like Steven was some random kid hugging him, and not his beloved son.

"Err, hey, Steven," Greg finally said awkwardly, politely prying Steven's fingers from his shirt, "Need something?" He asked half-heartedly. Steven only blinked at his father's poor reaction. He was here crying his eyeballs out and Greg only asked if he needed something. The most common response to Steven's emotional outbursts would usually involve asking him, what's wrong or what happened. Not some half-assed response that you would give a stranger on the street.

With no response, Greg awkwardly shuffled on his feet and scratched the back of his head and said, "Well uh... If ya need anything I'll be over here..." Pointing towards his van that he was scrubbing graffiti off of. He slowly shuffled away from Steven and went back to scrubbing his truck, ignoring his son all together.

Steven, on the other hand, numbly watched his father scrub the side of his van. His tears were long gone. He was just standing there with confused shock, etched across his face. Something was wrong. Seriously wrong. His dad was acting weird. He wasn't showing any emotion, care, or affection towards him. He was treating him like some sort of bastard child that he's never met, until now. This was wrong.

Everything was wrong.

The silence stretched on. The only noise was the soapy rag being brushed on the side of the door of the van, and minor grunts coming from its owner who was trying his hardest to scrub the marker off.

He was ignoring him.

Steven's heart ached just a little, before he finally made up his mind to confront his dad about his off behavior.

"Dad!" Steven suddenly yelled, stamping his bare foot against the pavement. Greg was startled at the sudden outburst and accidentally knocked a bucket of soapy water over.

Greg looked down at the water as it casually crept down the driveway and onto the street. Greg groaned in annoyance, "Now I'm gonna have to go inside and fill it up with warm water again." He sighed.

Suddenly a pair of tiny hands grabbed Greg's hips, in an attempt to shake him. Greg looked down to see his son, with a saddening determined look, with a glint of anger, "What's wrong with you!?" Steven yelled. He's never really yelled directly at his dad like that before, but he wanted answers. He trusted this man with everything that was going on in his life. He can't believe that he was treating him so poorly.

Greg could only blink. He gave a confused and defensive look, "What's wrong with me? You're the one that ran into me crying and stuff!" He accused. Steven couldn't believe his ears. His dad, the only male figure in his life, made it seem like he didn't even care about anything that was going on with his only son.

"Y-you're–" Steven gulped, "You're supposed to ask me what's wrong! You're supposed to comfort me!" Steven yelled back, hoping to get some sense into his father.

Greg cringed, "Why...?" He asked. But he already knew the answer. His body language and mannerisms showed that he was uncomfortable in this situation.

Steven's eyes widened, and his expression became an angry one, "What do you mean, 'why'!? Because you're my dad! That's what you're supposed to do! You've always had in the past!" Steven spat out. He had never been so upset with his father before.

Greg blinked, and only shook his head. He again, politely pried Steven's hands from him again, "Listen, I know we're...related...but I–" he paused, unsure what to say to his son.

"Related..." Steven repeated his father's word carefully, "We're more than just related! We're father and son! We're also best friends! We play our instruments together! We play at Beach-a-palooza together! We build things together! We watch our favorite movies! I help you around the car wash! We eat our favorite foods! We talk about mom—"

"Stop. Stop. Stop." Greg cut him off. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. Steven wasn't sure if he was getting through to him or just made matters worse. But, the father and son stood in silence. Steven eagerly waited on his dad's response.

Greg finally gave out a huge sigh and answered his son, "Look, Steven. I don't know what you're talkin' about." He said, making Steven's face and heart drop, "I've never went to Beach-a-palooza...or played games with you..." Greg paused, "And I most definitely never mentioned anything about Rose." He confirmed.

New tears glossed over Steven's eyes, threatening to cry again. Steven's heart felt like it was going to break. What was going on? Were all of his memories false? Did he just dream up about the fun times he's had with his dad? Did he dream up about his time with the Crystal Gems, and the missions they went on. Was everything a dream and this was the reality. The reality where he and his father barely have a relationship? Where he lived with the unfamiliar Crystal Gems? Was this the reality he was destined to live in?

"You're probably confusing some stuff what the gems said, you know?" Greg added, "I ain't got nothing to do with gem stuff." He shrugged off.

"Not even my mom?" Steven muttered angrily at the thick-headedness of his father.

Greg paused a bit before responding, "Rose...is a gem...so if she's a gem, I have nothing to do with...gem stuff—"

"SHES MY MOM!" Steven suddenly screamed at the top of his lungs, scaring Greg half to death. "She's my mom! You're my dad! You had to have something to do with her! I'm apart of you and her! So you have something to do with me! You're acting like I'm not your son! You're acting like you've never met me before!"

Greg blinked at his son's outburst, "St-Steven...you know I don't get involved with...gems–"

"You were involved with my mom right?!" Steven spat out. It was more of a statement than a question.

"Th-that was before–" Greg stammered. He took in a deep breath and stared directly into Steven's puffy wet eyes, "Listen, I haven't dealt with any gem stuff since Rose passed. She was the only gem I've had a relationship, and she's the only one that I ever will have a relationship with." He sternly said.

And with those words, Steven's heart finally broke apart. He felt shattered. His own father, basically didn't want anything to do with him.

Steven looked down at his toes and murmured, "...you don't want to have a relationship with me."

Greg visibly blanched at the statement, "St-Steven...I–"

"You don't want to have a relationship with me, 'cause I'm a gem." Steven concluded. Tears were dripping off his nose and onto his bare feet.

"S-Steven...I-I..." Greg tried. His eyes glinted with regret, "...I didn't mean–" he stepped a little closer to his son.

Steven suddenly whipped his head up at his father, who's movements faltered by the look in his son's eyes, "Well I didn't ask for this!" Steven yelled with tears streaming down his face, "I knew that deep down that-that the gems kind of regretted me being here! They all wish Rose still existed and would live their lives together happily! Pearl always mentions her and I know deep down she would rather be with Rose than me!"

Greg's eyes widened, "Y-you know Pearl?" He mumbled in astonishment, but was unheard by Steven.

"I always thought they regretted me, but...but—" Steven bit his lip before spitting out his next onslaught of angry words, "But, I NEVER thought YOU would be the one to regret me too!"

Greg could only drop his mouth open at his son's words. He was paralyzed with a feeling of guilt. Before he could get a word out to his son, Steven turned and ran back from where he came.

Steven ran back to the temple with plagued thoughts and a broken heart.

His father, Gregory Universe, flat out told him that he never was involved in his life, and that he didn't plan on being involved with him.

Was everything in Steven's life completely fabricated? There was no Garnet, Amethyst, or Pearl. His father never had a relationship with him, no matter all the fun memories he's ever had with him: singing together, attending the annual Beach-a-Palooza, playing games, watching movies, barbecuing, talking about his late mother. None of those things ever occurred in Steven's life? They were all...dreams...? And this was his reality?

If this was his reality, then what about the other people that were in his life? His friends? Sadie and Lars? The Pizza family? Onion? Sour Cream? Frybo? Renaldo? Mayor Dewey and Buck Dewey?

Connie?

Steven couldn't bear the probability of Connie, his best friend, may not even be his friend.

His reality was skewed. If his family was different, then its more than likely that his friendships were different as well. There was no way around this convoluted reality that Steven didn't belong in.

Steven made it to the beach. The calm tides of the ocean slowly crept up to shore and reverted back. He continued running towards the Temple.

His instincts told him to go home. His safe haven. His comfort zone. He wanted to go home. His real home. With his gems. The Crystal Gems. Pearl, Amethyst and Garnet, with their welcoming smiles and warm hugs. He yearned for their motherly affection. They always had a skill to comfort him in any way. Whether is was a kiss on the forehead from Garnet, an addictive hug from Pearl, or an affectionate 'love punch' that Amethyst bestowed on him.

Now the Temple was infested with the new 'Crystal Gems'. These Homeworld gems that swear that they are indeed the original Crystal Gems and has replaced the Crystal Gems he knew and loved.

Steven immediately came to a halt. Why was he running to the Temple if the real Crystal Gems were already there? He was only following his instincts. If things were going down south, he would just run to the Crystal Gems for help, like that time Buck Dewey was mocking his T-Shirt designs. Steven immediately ran to the Crystal Gems for support, and this situation was no different. All except, the Crystal Gems weren't the Crystal Gems he knew at all.

This time it was Lapis, Peridot and Jasper.

Steven's spine trembled at the thought of the gigantic gem. Out of the three of them, he was frightened of Jasper the most. He didn't want to face her, or either of the other gems again.

"What...what do I do?" Steven asked himself as he entwined his fingers in his locks of curly hair. He fell backwards onto his butt and pulled his knees up to his chest.

His body still ached and his headache only got worse, especially from the excess crying and screaming that he's done earlier. Steven felt lonely. He's been alone before, but feeling lonely was a newer experience. This was the first time he's never had anyone to rely on.

There was no dad to sing for him.

There was no Amethyst to jokingly assure him.

There was no Garnet to predict a positive outcome.

There was no Pearl to coddle him.

He was alone.

An everlasting feeling of loneliness as he sat by himself in the middle of the beach.

Steven had never felt so defeated.

This Chapter was not my cup of tea. However! I am more than excited to write the next chapter, CHAPTER 4: EXPLANATIONS (I might change the title of that one). Happy Thanksgiving to you USA readers! Remember to be thankful to your parents/guardians, because one day you might go into another Universe and they may have a terrible relationship with you.

Remember to Review! I value each of your reviews and I dearly appreciate all of your feedback (even critiques!) Thank You! - KS