Everything was different now. That shouldn't have surprised her, this was earth, after all. How long had she been gone?
The carwash was gone, and no sign of the van. She thought about going to the temple, but they were not who she wanted to see first.
When she finally did track down the van it was parked behind a house she had never seen before. The Mr. Universe logo was still on the side, but the tires were flat and the metal was rusty.
"Greg?" She opened the back of the van. It was empty, with no sign of its former owner having been there in some time.
Disappointed, she moved to the house, where she started hearing music.
"They are the Crystal Gems," a female voice was singing, "they'll always save the day… and if you think they can't, they'll always find a way. That's why the people of this world believe in Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl… and Stevonnie!". The song ended in a slight giggle.
"But what about Lapis?"
"Or Peridot?"
She didn't recognize any of the voices, but she did recognize the subject. Maybe this was the place?
She knocked on the back door. There was a sudden silence in the house, followed by shuffling noises.
A woman with grey hair and brown skin opened the door.
"Excuse me, I'm looking for the owner of that van."
"I suppose that would be me now," she said with a hint of sadness.
"Oh," her disappointment was obvious.
"Were you looking for Steven? Or…"
"Greg."
"I'm sorry, he passed away several years ago."
Tears welled up in her eyes. "Of course, I should have realized."
"Years spent living in his van wasn't good for him, but we put him up here for his last few years. Would you like to come in?"
"I don't want to impose."
The brown skinned woman opened the door wide, and got a better look at her visitor. Her large frame, pink hair and… "our Gem?"
"What?"
"Your Rose?"
"Yes."
"You have to come in, please. I'm Connie, I knew your son."
Rose looked over Connie, and reached down, touching her Gem. "I can tell, he loved you very much."
She had to bend down to fit through the doorway, but Rose entered the house. The walls were filled with photographs of Connie and a larger white man who resembled Greg posing together, and a few pictures of two children that Rose was almost certain had to belong to the two of them.
"Is that him?" Rose asked.
"Yes, that was my Steven. The kids are Steven Gregory and Rosie Kate."
A centipedal walked up and rubbed against Connie's leg. She reached down and scratched it's head.
"It's not aggressive?"
"Steven trained it and it loves the kids."
It growled and slobbered at Rose then pranced off.
"It's gem didn't appear to be corrupted, why is she still a monster?"
Connie shrugged. "The going theory is that it's happiest moments were as a centipedal, so it preferred that form."
Rose followed Connie into the family room. She found it amusing that the children were keeping them under surveillance, but were too bashful to make their presence known.
Hanging on the wall, too high for the children to be able to reach, Rose saw her sword and scabbard on display. She started to reach for it, but when she did, Connie moved like a graceful brown blur. A fire was in her eyes, the sword poised to strike.
"I'm sorry.". Connie lowered the sword. "It's my reflexes, I won't attack you. It is your sword after all.". Vinnie offered Rose the handle.
"I should have asked, the apology is mine to give. Since you use it with such skill, I believe the sword is yours now. Pearl trained you?"
"Yes."
"I'm surprised. She tends to avoid involvement with humans."
"A lot has changed. Pearl had a hard time getting over your… loss. She loved you, you know."
"And I love her."
"No," Connie chuckled. "Not like that, she loved you the way a human does. The same way that Greg did."
Rose appeared a combination of confused and alarmed. "I didn't understand then."
"Pearl worked it out. She trained me because she saw the same devotion she felt for you in the way I felt for Steven. He and I are… were quite the team." Connie grew silent, a shadow fell across her spirits. "We are having a birthday party today. I hope you will stay for it. Everyone will be there. You should get to know your grandchildren."
"I think I would like that. And it will be a good way to see everyone again."
"Excuse me a second, Rose," Connie said, standing. "Rosie! I don't hear you and Stevie practicing?"
A plump little girl with light brown skin and wearing glasses with no lenses because felt they made her look smarter stood up from behind the sofa. "But Stevie is watching TV. Is she really my Grandmother?"
"Why is he watching TV?" Connie marched to Stevie's room where the thin boy with bushy eyebrows and curly hair was laying down in front of his TV, watching professional wrestling. "I thought I told you not to watch this show!"
"But Mom… Look."
"The Purple Puma wins by a chair!" the announcer said. "We now take you ringside for a word with the victor."
The Purple Puma stared directly into the camera, "I want to dedicate this win to my first partner, Tiger Millionaire. Tiger may be fighting on that big wrestling mat in the sky now, but his lessons have never left me: Even a bad guy like me can be a hero, with a cool enough backstory!"
"Is that Amethyst?" Rose asked.
Connie covered her eyes in shame, "Yes. She and Steven use to do this to let off steam. I had no idea she went professional."
"I guess a lot has changed," Rose admitted.