Author's Note: Surprise! I'm not dead! But this story nearly was. Sorry about that. I know I promised late August, and it's now *looks at calender* early November. Yikes. This is really late. Like, three-four months late. Sorry about that! I lost inspiration for what to do with this chapter, and it wouldn't come out right. This story is very nearly done though, and I hope to get the next couple of chapters out within the next couple of weeks. I was originally going to post this on Monday, but then I found out today was the third anniversary of Steven Universe. Yay! So, I was unable to get my editor to check this, so there may be some spelling/grammatical errors. I'll try to fix them later. And, as always, let me know what you think! Compliments and criticisms alike!

Peridot argues with herself the entire time Greg is distracted. She doesn't know why she is going to confide with him, there is no logical reason why, but she is doing it anyway. For no reason other than he offered, and in a moment of weakness, she accepted. But that doesn't mean she should, Peridot tells herself. When she was on Homeworld, this type of behavior would have been unacceptable. If she was still on Homeworld, she retorts, she wouldn't be feeling or this way this way in the first place! Or, Peridot adds, she wouldn't be allowed to show that she was feeling this way.

Greg' approach shakes Peridot out of her thoughts. She looks up, and finds him staring nervously at her. When he notices her staring at him staring at her, he starts very slightly, but it's obvious to her precise eyesight. Her usually keen eyesight had been something of a pride to her back on Homeworld. It had needed to be precise when she had worked as a technician or when she had needed to make repairs to her limb enhancers. Which are now gone. Thanks to Steven and the Crystal Clods. Who of course don't need limb enhancers. Not for anything. Their natural abilities are more than enough. Even when she had had limb enhancers she was no match for them. And even Steven, who should logically be at a disadvantage due to his half-human nature, is better than her.

She realizes that she is glaring at Greg, and that he looks even more nervous than before. Not wanting him to think that she is mad at him, Peridot fixes her facial features and attempts to smile sheepishly as a way of an apology. By Greg's expression, it didn't work and she most likely did something wrong. Maybe her face was not right. Nothing she did was ever right. Not since she came to Earth. And probably long before she first made contact with the Crystal Gems or was assigned to this case.

Again, Greg clears his throat, and when Peridot focuses on him, once again interrupting her internal monologue and beratement, he asks, "Um, is it ok if I sit here?"

Peridot simply moves over, and pats the ground next to herself, mimicking a gesture she had seen Steven make. Greg takes it as the invitation that it is and sits, although he groans quietly as he does so. It almost sounds like he is in pain, but Steven had assured her that that is something his 'father' does on occasion, even when doing something as simple as sitting down. And what does she know about humans anyways. So she dismisses it.

They sit there in silence for a while, Peridot starring at her feet, and Greg alternating between staring at her and his own feet. Eventually, he gathers the courage to speak, "So, uh, Peridot. Um, what brings you all the way out here? You looked a bit lost."

Peridot turns to him sharply, and says a bit indignantly, "Lost?! Of course not! The great Peridot is never lost! I was merely... uh. Looking... to... talk to you?"

She loses a bit of steam, and slumps over, sighing in defeat. "Yes, I'm lost. I was attempting to follow a locomotive vehicle in order to ask the owner of such a machine if I could glance at the inner workings of their, 'car'."

Greg looks at her incredulously, but not unkindly "Seriously? I doubt they would have allowed a strange alien to do that."

She deflates further, and she presses her lips together, "I had... realized that." More indignantly, "I'm not totally 'hopeless' as Amethyst would say."

Greg looks at her again, and gives her a small smile. "The way Steven describes you, and how you act, honestly, you remind me of Rose."

Peridot snaps her head up, looking at him shocked. "R-Rose Q-Quartz?! Leader of the Re-Crystal Gems?! But we're nothing alike! She was a great leader, renowned for her ruthless tactics! And by the way Steven and the Crystal Gems talk about her, she was practically a Goddess among Gems!"

Greg starts laughing, enraging Peridot. "WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT?!"

He wipes away a few tears, "Oh jeez, that may be true, but that's not all she was. She was also, 'as Amethyst would say' hopeless. At least when it came to Earth and its inhabitants. You should have seen her when we first met." He sighs wistfully, "I thought she was a goddess too. And the more time we spent together, the more I fell in love with her."

"Like Pierre and Percy?" Peridot interjects.

Greg looks at her blankly for a couple of seconds. "Ah, I'm sorry, but is that from one of the shows Steven likes to watch? Like Crying Breakfast Amigos or something?"

Peridot sighs, "No. It's from the cinematic master piece Camp Pining Hearts."

"Camp Pining Hearts? A cinematic masterpiece?" He starts laughing again.

"Hey! You can't judge, Steven says that you used to watch 'Little Butler' with Amethyst! Now that's something to laugh about."

Greg calms down, and looks at Peridot amused, more relaxed, "That's fair enough I guess. But anyways, despite my lack of knowledge on the show Camp Pining Hearts, no, we were not like 'Pierre' and 'Percy'. At least, not at first. Rose, for all her virtues, had her faults. While I was falling in love with her, she didn't think of our relationship that way. To her, I was just a human. A... pet, in a way. And despite her good heart, she had a skewed view of humanity. But, we managed to work past that, and our relationship became stronger. And she learned more about being human. I mean, it wasn't perfect. She almost let a baby fall to his death in a misguided attempt to let it be independent, but don't worry! The baby was fine. Is fine. The baby became Sour Cream." Peridot looks at him blankly, "Oh yeah, you don't know who that is. Nevermind. Anyways, what mattered was that she was trying. Like you, Peridot."

"Me?"

"Yeah! Steven tells me that almost every day, you try hard to understand more about humanity, and how to live here on Earth. In fact, I would say you're doing better than Rose did. And he's proud that you're a Crystal Gem."

Peridot looks down glumly. "That's the problem. I don't think I am a Crystal Gem. I mean," she gestures frustratingly with her hands, "I know it doesn't matter to them that I'm... defective. But it matters! And no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to get it. Lapis doesn't even want to be a Crystal Gem, she thinks it doesn't matter!"

"Lapis?" Peridot freezes. "Isn't that the gem who crushed my truck and broke my leg? The one who can control water?"

"Y-yeah." Peridot says quietly.

"Did you two have a fight or something? Steven mentioned that you two were living at the Barn now, and that it would be a good idea to stay away. Not that I really ever went there except for Gem stuff."

Peridot pulls her knees up to her chin. "Yeah, sort of. It wasn't really a fight, in that we didn't have a disagreement, it's just that, she said something."

"What did she say Peridot?"

Peridot looks away, and mumbles something.

"What?"

"I said, 'She said that the Barn can be our place. A 'Crystal Gem' free zone'.' But I'm a Crystal Gem!" Peridot snaps, tearing up a bit. "Does she just not care? O-or, is she trying to tell me that I'm not actually one of them?"

Greg freezes, unsure of what to do, before awkwardly patting her back. "There there, I'm sure she didn't mean it."

"But what if the other Crystal Gems think that too? I used to be their enemy! Maybe, they still think I am, and they just want to keep an eye on me?"

"Now, if that were true," Greg says, "they wouldn't have given you the Barn. If you ask me, that's a pretty bad way to keep an eye on someone."

Peridot nods her head grudgingly, "I guess."

"Peridot, Steven trusts you, and so do the Crystal Gems. You've proved yourself more than enough. And I don't think anyone thinks you're defective. It isn't like that here. And, if what Lapis said really hurt you, why don't you talk to her? Explain how what she said upset you, and why."

She looks at her feet, then gets up. Turning to Greg, she gives him a small smile. "Thank you, Greg. I will consider what you said."

"Heh, no problem Peridot! Uh, do you need help getting back?"

She hesitates, "Uhhh, maybe?"

"No need." A voice says behind her. "I can take it from here. Thank you Greg for looking after her."

"No problem Garnet," Greg assures her, getting to his feet, nodding to Peridot, and then heading to the back of his truck.

"How long have you been there?" Peridot asks quietly.

"I just got here. Don't worry, I wasn't eavesdropping."

"T-that's good."

"Let's head back to the Temple."

Author's Note: Ok, this may need a bit of work, but I hope it suffices for now! Thank you all for putting up with me! You guys are awesome!