Rose hadn't intended for it to have ended that way. But it did.

The next few days were tense, and though she hated to admit it, Rose could tell that they were rearing towards a fight. Which meant that Garnet did too. After nearly a week of short conversations and careful wordings, Rose decided that Garnet had had long enough.

The fusion stepped out of the room, a quiet bravery evident in her stance. It had been a while since she had held herself that way, and it had always been against an enemy; never was it towards Rose.

"You never told us about Bismuth." Garnet said, her unsaid accusation clearer than Rose's reflection in her visor.

"I withheld information about her because...I was scared that you would side with her." Rose lied, taking the easy route. How else do you explain to your second in command why you never spoke about her best friend's disappearance?

"It wasn't for our benefit." Garnet replied. Her left hand clenched almost imperceptibly. Ruby was getting tired of these word games.

Before Rose could state her rebuttal, Steven opened the door. The screen slammed. Pearl's picture, hanging above the door, shook on it's hook. They held their breath as Steven obliviously slid to a stop in front of them. His breath came out in deep heaves as he held up a picture.

It was similar to the family portraits Steven had drawn in kindergarten, except that the gems were fighting malicious shadows instead of standing under a smiling sun. Even with his crude drawing skills, Rose could tell who the extra person in the picture was by the spear she carried.

"Mom, Garnet, did I draw it right? Amethyst said you were in the strawberry fields, but there weren't any growing there back then, right?" A drop of sweat rolled down his forehead. Rose did not answer.

"It's perfect Steven, even though Pearl was using her sword then." Garnet's gentle critique made Steven pause and he looked up at her hopefully.

Something snapped inside her then. Maybe it was the drawing. Maybe it was how much Steven reminded Rose of her. Maybe it was the combined pressure of the last fourteen years. Whatever it was, it caused her to break.

Snatching the picture out of Steven's hands, she crumbled the picture before a pink bubble formed around it, whisking it away into the bubble room. "It doesn't matter! She doesn't matter! None of this matters, and it's stupid that we keep bringing it up because she's dead." She turned to Garnet. "She's dead and I killed her because I was too scared to go through with my plan. Just like I was too scared to tell you about Bismuth, or Crazy Lace or Lion! I want to move on, to forget that I was so stupid, but you won't let me." Rose wasn't sure who the last line was directed to. She supposed it didn't matter, as Garnet was the one who reacted the most.

Steven stared wide eyed as Garnet's gauntlets appeared before punching Rose. The unexpected hit through her all the way to the temple door. Her bubble appeared and she stood up before being punched again into temple.

Garnet's teeth were gritted as banged her fists against the bubble that refused to break. Each crash punctuated a word that she spat angrily. "It's. Not. About. You. This. Time." On the fifth hit, Rose couldn't hold it up any longer and she burst her bubble. She didn't even notice what room she was in as she drew her sword and charged.

Garnet dashed out of the way, and she charged again. As Garnet jumped, she drew her shield and threw it, knocking her out of the air. The fusion landed on her feet and rolled away as Rose slashed at her. Their deadly dance continued at Garnet growled. "It's always about you, Rose. Your wishes, your wants, your son. This is not about you. It's about her. It's about all the times you never gave her her due. This is for all of that time that you let Steven think he was only yours, when he's Pearl's son. And you what the difference is?"

Garnet launched her fists at her, and she brought her shield up too slow. The punch landed, knocking her over and nearly destroying her left arm. Switching her arms, she continued her assault and threw her shield again, this time conjuring three in a row. The barrage of shields were too fast for her to counter. With a grunt, Garnet reformed a gauntlet on her left hand, as the right shoulder flickered in and out of existence. Her lame arm lay limp at her side as she charged again.

"I'm stronger than her. That's all there is to it." Rose replied, knowing that the unsaid statement was just as clear. I'm better than her.

Rose didn't dodge out of the way this time, instead letting Garnet come to her. She raised her sword as Garnet punched, her left leg swinging up to knee her. Rose said nothing as her sword, went through her. It seemed too big for her body, like the fusion's seven feet of height were nothing.

"She's braver than you'll ever be." Garnet whispered as her gems gave out and clattered to the floor.

Rose dropped the sword. The clouds that made it softened and lost their form, just as Garnet had done, just moments before.