The next morning, Steven awoke to the smell of pancakes. Garnet had made them and they were shaped like hearts. She made them specifically for Steven so Amethyst settled with downing the rest of the pancake batter.
After breakfast, Garnet asked if she could speak with him alone. They walked out onto the porch, to a breezy and sunny morning. But, to Steven, the wind was a little too strong, the sun, too bright, the air, too salty.
"I want to talk to you about something you mentioned last night," Garnet began, leaning on the balustrade.
"Like, about the flowers or something?"
"Not exactly." She pushed her shades back up the bridge of her nose. "You spoke of Peridot's water reservoir and what she used in the first place to find where to put it."
"Th-the lawnmower?"
"Yes. The radar."
"Ok?"
"Have you ever seen Peridot use it?"
"I never saw it before yesterday. Why?"
"Has she ever shown you any images made with it, or have you seen any lying around on her desk?"
"I... don't think so. I...!" Steven recalled the photos he saw some months ago that were tacked to a cork board that was leaning against the wall of the cave. "...Maybe? Th-they were black and white. I didn't pay much attention to them."
Garnet knelt down to Steven's level. "Can you find them?"
"Uh..." He shook off his nerves. "What's going on? Why is this important?"
She was looking straight at him when she said smoothly, "They're merely suspicions, we can't jump to conclusions."
"What are...?"
Then Garnet said crossly, "There are reasons why she doesn't trust us. She hides so much from us. How should this be any different?"
"Garnet?"
"This doesn't imply anything.-.-.-.-We have to find those pictures."
"Garnet!"
She collected herself. "I'm sorry, Steven. I-"
"What's there to be suspicious about?"
Garnet stood up. "I know you trust Peridot and admire her. So do we. But, there's something about Topaz... I can't shake the feeling that she's hiding something."
"But, I thought we'd been over this? That she lives on Earth now and that we'd do anything to protect her. ...Y-you still don't trust her?"
"She doesn't trust us. And that gives her more than enough reason to hide things from us-"
"You don't trust her, do you."
Garnet sighed. "I don't. I can't. I-"
Steven clenched the tassels to his pajama pants. "What in the world about Topaz could have you not trust her? What in the world could she be doing now that would make you like this? Peridot trusts her! Isn't that enough?!"
"I think Peridot might be helping her."
"Helping her what?!"
"...I suspect Topaz might be growing new Gems."
...