In case you didn't catch it, Akoya is a type of Pearl. It was used kinda like how Rose had the 'Quartz' as Steven's middle name. Anyways, I don't think that this story will be a long one. I have a plan for about four chapters, maybe five, so this story should be finished quickly.

Rose wasn't sure if she loved Steven or not. He was the result of five years with Greg and with very little planning involved. That wasn't to say that she didn't like him, or appreciate him, but she had to think. If she had've thought it out more, maybe Pearl would still be there with her. It wasn't until she was gone that Rose began to miss her, to realize how much she valued her unconditional love and support.

Pearl had always been there for her. She was the first to have been liberated. She had been Rose's first solider. She had been her confident for years and Rose trusted her with everything, because she knew that Pearl would give everything for her. And she did.

Instead of focusing on the dead and gone, she brought her thoughts to Garnet, who was still mourning her- and of course, was still mad at Rose. Although she had expected Garnet to also dislike Steven, she took a liking to him rather quickly.

After a week or two, she would lose track of Steven only to find him with Garnet hours later, watching the waves break on the beach. Steven would sit happily on top of her hair or sleep in her arms as she held him, silent as a rock. She really only spoke to Rose now when it was about Steven, like to remind her to feed him. Steven never cried when he was hungry, and she often forgot to feed him.

She supposed that he took after Pearl in that aspect.; after more than a millenia on Earth, food became less replusing and Rose found that she could often enjoy it. Pearl never did. The difference was that Pearl could survive just fine without food, but Steven depended on it to survive, half gem or not.

Amethyst wasn't sure what to do with him, but she let him play in her hair when he caught hold. She would often just watch him, before leaving for days on end. Rose never followed her, but she had an inkling of where she was going. Sometimes she would return, wearing a new pair of pants, or with a new but subtle design. Every time she almost asked what had happened. Every time Garnet had placed a hand on her shoulder and stopped her. It hurt Rose to see that her family was falling apart, and at the middle of it was her. Her and her fickle wish for a child with the ability to choose had torn them apart and she wasn't sure how to put them back together again.

Greg had a job now, and was working to buy the carwash from the previous owner. Having never held a real job before, he was having trouble adjusting, especially since he had to do all of the work. When he returned back to the temple, he spent most of his time with Steven or attempting to construct the house. It was barely a frame, and even though he had the help of the three of them, construction went slowly. It was partially due to Amethyst's work ethic, which constantly ended with her destroying something but also because Greg was designing and paying for it himself. Rose had to wonder if it played a part in his hair, which was falling out in large clumps now. When Rose combed her fingers through his long locks, her fingers would catch long brown strings. Greg would simply sigh and try to ignore it.

Pearl would have said that it was just age, that it was none of her concern. After all, humans did age rather quickly and when an afternoon of their life felt like a moment in yours, years became irrelevant. Still, Rose had more than just a feeling that it was because of her and Steven that he was aging prematurely. And of course, there was the guilt.

Greg and Pearl did not like each other. Her sacrifice didn't change that, but he did have grudging respect for her. He hadn't asked her to give Steven back, though Rose knew it wouldn't have done anything. However, Greg still felt bad that she had died. He hated that for them to have a family someone had to die and he carried that weight with him everytime they were together.

Sometimes Rose really loved Steven. Those were the times when he'd let her hold him without crying or struggling first. Those were the times when he played in her hair and touched her gem and she knew that he thought of her as his mother.

Those were the times when Pearl had never existed.