Hey guys! Sorry it's been so long, had some stuff going on for a while, and then issues at work picked up, and I was dealing with family stuff. Anyway, long story short, I'm sorry for the delay, but I am back, and with the promised epilogue for this story. It's been an emotional ride for me writing this, but worth it, and I'm hoping you all agree and will enjoy.

No warnings apply for this chapter. I do not own Steven Universe, those rights go to the wonderful Rebecca Sugar and Cartoon Network. I also do not own the comic this story was inspired by. All rights to their respective owners.

Thanks for all your support and your reviews, and I hope you guys will enjoy this final chapter.

- Raven


She's on the beach, this time. There's a blanket spread out beneath her, a picnic basket she had prepared but hadn't dared unpack. Not yet, anyway. The umbrella is pink, because what other color would it be? And the sun is too bright, but it's fine because somehow, she'd let herself be talked into wearing sunglasses. The frame is a little too square for her liking, but she was trying to accept it.

The sand is creeping over the edge of the blanket, though, and when she moves to sweep it away the whole beach tips sideways. She almost tips with it, but then there are hands, catching her and keeping her upright, and a familiar flash of brown curls before his voice reaches her.

"Are you ok?"

And she breathes the salt air, blinks at the sun behind his head. Yes, she thinks, she's ok. She will be, as long as he is here.

"Is it too much?" he continues, worry and is that guilt? "We can go back inside if…"

"No."

Her voice isn't as hoarse but it still rasps uncomfortably. She clears her throat and tries again, and succeeds with a much clearer tone.

"No, Steven, I'm fine. I want to do this with you."

With all of you.

She smiles, and he does too, and then there's a whoop and a streak of purple as he and Amethyst race each other along the beach. Sand sprays in their wake and she feels her smile grow a bit more, something building in her chest. She panics briefly as memories threaten to resurface, but when it spills across her lips, it's a laugh, and nothing more.

A shadow falls over the blanket, the sun's angle splitting it and making it seem like there are two figures there above her. But when the shadow bends, it's one, and only one figure who sits on the blanket beside her. That ache is back in her chest, the hollow feeling of unspoken apologies, but there's a cut-off point, and she knows it. And it's not just the way the visor reflects the sun's light, coloring the lenses pink and blue in alternating splashes.

"It's not over yet."

She lowers her head, the picnic basket glaring at her in the wake of the other's words.

"I know."

And she does, she knows. It's going to take more than just a beach trip to make this right. But she had hoped….

"I do understand. But that doesn't change what's happened."

She draws a sharp breath, and it's so empty…it's just air, and there's still that burning need inside. But she tries her best to stifle it, to breathe enough of the air to stammer out:

"I'm sorry."

Garnet doesn't answer, just looks out over the ocean to where Amethyst is splashing Steven in the form of a dolphin. Her mouth is a thin line, and there's a heavy, unspoken: I know, I'm sorry too, that does nothing to quell the churning in Pearl's gut.

But she straightens and forces another smile as Steven comes running up the beach towards them, and she sees Garnet's own frown change as well; that soft, special smile reserved only for their boy now on her face.

"Pearl," he cries excitedly, dripping salt water and sand, and she curls her feet away before they can be splashed. "The water is so warm! You should come in."

She glances again at the basket, hesitating as she contemplates the offer. Garnet is still beside her, still smiling at Steven, but she knows she is waiting for her answer too. She wants to…she had to, but….

"Maybe. In a little while."

It's a compromise, but it's enough for him, and he rushes back down to join Amethyst, who is back in her usual form, knee deep in wet sand and constructing what Pearl hopes is a sand castle.

"You should go down with them," she says, once Steven is out of range. "There's no need to stay up here." With me, goes without saying, but it's there and they both know it.

"In a little while," comes the response, and the flicker of hope is to sharp that it hurts, and she has to blink hard beneath her own lenses to keep the stray tears away.

"Garnet-"

But the words won't come, just tears, and the other gem shushes her softly, almost gently if she dared to believe it.

"I know."

And with those words, so many others, unsaid but still heard and felt deep inside. I know, and it'll be alright. I know, and I'm sorry. I know, and it's in the past.

Pearl leans in just enough that her shoulder brushes the other's, and though she knows it's not forgotten, it's enough of a start that maybe, maybe it can be forgiven.

Garnet stands first, after a while, and Pearl looks up to find that the sun is well on its way to afternoon, and they'd been sitting for longer than she'd thought. Then she sees the pensive look she's being given, and though she can't see Garnet's eyes, she knows.

"It's time."

Pearl says nothing in response, but allows the gem to help her up. The picnic basket is clutched tightly in trembling hands, and it takes all of her willpower to remain on the beach, to not run and hide it all away again. She can't hide herself away, though, and she knows Garnet is right. Steven comes pattering up, his arms at his sides like wings, Amethyst actually flying above him; a bright purple seagull with a gemstone in its breast.

Garnet holds them back with an outstretched palm. "This is something she needs to do," she murmurs, though Pearl barely hears the words over the roar of the ocean.

It's only up to her ankles, and, as promised, is warm; but she shivers anyway. She wades out a little deeper, and tries not to think of drowning. Her earlier fantasies of letting the waves crash over her form seem much more terrifying here, the basket leaving imprints on her palms. She's almost past her knees, now, and she stops, hesitating. It should be deep enough, and yet….

She glances over her shoulder, and sees Steven, his brows furrowed, concern and fear and doubt all there in his eyes. Amethyst, just as worried, her hands clenched into fists at her sides, the wind whipping her hair violently about her face. Garnet, calm and still, a hand on each of their shoulders as she stares back. A firm, encouraging nod.

She turns back, and wades further, feeling the pull of the tide as the waves crash at her waist. Sand and shells crunch under feet here, and the air is damp with the ocean as she breathes the spray. She stands, and waits, the basket bumping against her chest with each ripple of the water around her. There's a wave, finally, and she lets the basket go as it swells, feeling it rip free of her hands as the wave slams down.

It crashes over her and she is almost dragged away under the current. It's not drowning, though, not this time. It's cleansing, freeing, in its weight. The tide pulls at her, but she doesn't let it reach her. She stands, pushing her way back to the shore with a smile on her face and the shouts of her name in her ears. A towel is wrapped around her, though she doesn't bother to question how or when it had been grabbed.

"Pearl? Are you ok?"

She looks down, Steven gripping her hand tightly with one of his, his eyes bright as he peers up at her through soggy curls. She never wants to let go of this again, and she won't. She won't lose this.

"I'm fine."

It wasn't quite perfect, she knew. It would still take time. But she was here; she'd made it this far. As long as she had them; as long as she had him, she would be. Just fine.


Well, there it is. My first completed fan fic, and my first full length Steven Universe fic. I hope you all enjoyed this story and will continue to enjoy. If you've liked this, check out my other Steven Universe one shot, Boil.

I also will have another full length Steven Universe fic coming up shortly for you. I am currently working on three separate full length fics.

'Crystal', a series of one shots/drabbles about what it means to be a Crystal Gem.

'Falling together', which will be an AU origin story, focusing on Garnet and how she came to be part of the Crystal Gems, and

'People take Weird Pictures', which is a slight AU Jasper and Lapis story and explores the nature of their relationship/fusion.

To avoid falling into writer's block and risk not finishing, I will only be publishing one at a time, and won't publish the other until the fic is complete. My request for you guys, if you're interested and want to read either of those, review and let me know! Whichever fic gets the most votes, I will start publishing for you guys.

Thank you again for your interest in my story, Feel, and I look forward to hearing from you all soon!

- Raven