These words are here to interact with you somehow. Please don't hurt me.
Another month passed. Rose's pregnancy was more apparent to everyone who saw her, and practically all the inhabitants of Beach City were conscious of her state. They already knew that she was expecting a baby boy, and every single one of them asked (mostly Greg, as he was the most sociable) what his name was going to be.
After the conversation Ruby and Sapphire had with Rose, their fusion turned unstable. Ruby kept blaming Greg of what would happen, and Sapphire thought that it wasn't his fault as he wasn't aware of that outcome. Nevertheless, none of them could stop thinking about what Rose's disappearance would suppose, so they came to an agreement for the sake of everyone, and went back to form Garnet.
Greg and Pearl started to spend time together. Pearl got all the books about parenting she could find, and she began teaching everybody how they should treat the baby. She was being more neurotic than usual, almost breaking her own record on… being an absolute nuisance. Pearl just was worried about the child of her leader, but for Amethyst, and sometimes even for Garnet, she was a pain on their necks. On the other hand, Greg liked to learn what to expect, and finally bond somehow with the one who never really liked him. Besides, he had already learnt a little from Vidalia's child…
Eventually, Rose and Garnet talked again. The current and the future-to-be leaders agreed on how painful her "death" would be for Greg and the Gems, and decided to stop delaying the inevitable.
Now the fusion was standing in front of Pearl, Greg and Amethyst, who didn't know the reason why they were gathered inside the Temple.
"So… what are we doing here? Vidalia is waiting for me", said an uninterested but somehow curious Amethyst lying on the floor.
"We have something to announce", replied Garnet in her usual voice.
"Is it related to your new outfit? It makes you look… older and… more serious", the purple Gem inquired once again. After reforming, Garnet acquired the attire the spectators saw her wearing during season one.
"Amethyst is right. Why did you change your clothing?", Pearl questioned, analyzing her garments.
Greg stayed silent and still, looking at the ground. He had a bad feeling about this, and his mind started to race.
Before Garnet could explain anything to them, Rose came out of her room and walked up to them.
"Finally!".
"Amethyst! Don't you know what respect is?".
The two youngest Gems started arguing while Garnet and Rose whispered to each other, certain concern perceptible on their faces.
"Rose, what's going on?", Greg asked seriously, raising his voice to be clearly heard.
She turned to him and met his eyes. She wanted to do this, she had to; but the last thing she wanted to do was hurting him. She was scared. "We… we have been talking…".
"Talking about what?". His voice was still grave, and attracted everyone's attention.
"About…", the pink lady started hesitantly. Garnet saw her eyes and how she started to shake, and heard her doubtful tone. She didn't want this to happen, she had to do something.
"About… what are we going to name the baby". She panicked.
"Sweet Cream!", Amethyst yelled eagerly.
"No way! Rose's son must have a name that describes his elegant and powerful ancestry!", Pearl rebutted, folding her arms and closing her eyes. "What about… Alexander… or Demetrius?", she finished, a little unsure.
"No!". Rose sounded louder than she intended to, making everyone's senses focus on her. "No… I… want Greg to decide what his name will be…". Her words were indecisive and filled with subtle sadness, and when her gaze met her partner's it didn't get any better.
He didn't change his expression, and after a few moments exchanging looks, he spoke up. "I like… Steven. That's Mr. Gallagher's name", except for Rose, the rest of them looked at him strangely. "The owner of the car wash? The place I work at?". They nodded in understanding once he explained himself. "He was the first man who gave me a chance once I moved here, and he's pretty nice, so… why not?".
"Steven sounds good. Can I leave now?", Amethyst said, looking forward to meet her friend.
Pearl started to mumble, wondering if that was an appropriate name for Rose Quartz's son.
"I like that name…", Rose thought out loud and Garnet simply nodded.
Greg didn't mind that much. A name wouldn't define what his kid would be.
"Now, Rose… could you please tell us why are we here?", he asked, going back to his serious tone. After so many years together, he could see right through their poor lies.
The aforementioned gasped softly and her eyes widened. Was she that clear to him? "I'm sorry…", she whispered nodding, and began to tell them the truth with some necessary and welcomed help from Garnet.
Once they finished, all of them had to shed tears, except for Greg. His expression was blank, and his body absolutely still.
"Is that… it?", he muttered, looking at his feet.
Amethyst felt broken.
Rose had been like a mother to her, and now she was going to disappear?! She was scared, and confused, and sorrowful. Some other times, when she had diverse doubts, she recurred to any of the Gems or even Greg, who she had been considering as a friend. But now, that wasn't an available option. She ran off crying, probably to Vidalia's place.
Pearl was dead. At least, that's how she thought death would feel like.
She was feeling betrayed again. The human man she was beginning to trust was actually taking the only reason she had to exist away from her! She turned her head slowly to see him, and then she lunged at him, crying loudly and grasping his neck with both of her hands, wanting to strangle him.
"YOU TOLD ME YOU WOULDN'T TAKE HER AWAY FROM ME! YOU LIED TO ME! AND NOW YOU ARE GOING TO KILL ROSE!". Rage blinded her. The only thing she could see right then was an enemy.
Greg didn't do anything at all to avoid it.
Garnet ran and grabbed Pearl's arms, trying to make her cease. "Stop it, Pearl!".
She let his throat go, and he fell to the floor coughing. Pearl looked at the fusion. "Don't you understand, Garnet?! He killed Rose!". Her entire face was wet, her eyes close to fall off her sockets, and her breath erratic.
"I understand, Pearl! But he did nothing wrong… he… killed… no, it's not his… fault!". Her state turned unstable again. She was close to unfusing.
Feelings overwhelmed Rose. She dropped to her knees after bursting into tears, and only got to mutter their names in despair.
That was enough to remind Sapphire and Ruby what their duty was. She separated Pearl from Greg and tried to hold her still.
"Garnet, let me go!".
"I won't if you try to hurt Greg!".
"I won't try to hurt him! I'm going to kill him!". Pearl struggled to free herself, pulling her arms.
"Pearl, calm down!".
All of a sudden, Pearl did as she was commanded. "I understand now…", she started slowly, "YOU'RE SIDING WITH HIM!". She kicked Garnet's abdomen and finally got to free herself. Right after, she summoned her spear.
"Please, Pearl, don't make me hurt you!". The fusion summoned her weapons as well, standing in front of Greg to protect him.
The pale gem didn't answer. She charged at her, sure of what she wanted to do, but Garnet's gauntlets stopped her motion.
Pearl had to let her spear go to be able to move again. She summoned another one and repeated the same inaccurate attack pattern.
Garnet was despairing too. She had to stop this somehow, and right then, Ruby and Sapphire agreed to do something…
She stopped Pearl's weapon with her left hand. "I'm sorry", she muttered.
"For wha-!".
She couldn't finish her statement, because her own weapon stabbed her. "I'm really sorry, Pearl…". Garnet used the spear she blocked before to attack her. She hated doing it, but back then, it seemed like a good idea.
Pearl poofed into her gem. Luckily, she would vent, and she would think about the situation. Unluckily…
Garnet took the gem that was lying in front of her and turned around quickly to see if Greg was okay, but no one was there. She turned around again and found Rose lying on the floor, sobbing lowly and caressing her belly.
She didn't know how to feel anymore, but Sapphire and Ruby maintained their composure the best way they could. "Rose…", she said in an unusual cracked voice, kneeling next to her. "Do you know where Greg is?".
At first, the aforementioned simply shook her head and continued with what she was doing; but then, she remembered something and sat up, stopping her low sobbing. "Garnet!", she was really alarmed and grabbed the fusion's left arm. "We have to find him! Now!". She stood up as fast as her shakiness allowed her, and ran out of the temple, followed by Garnet, who understood her as soon as Rose shouted her name.
They found him outside, sitting next to his vehicle, his gun pressed against his left temple. He was trembling. He was scared, unsure, and felt like… like nothing. For a moment, he thought that these last fifteen years were a complete lie. He thought that he was still an unhappy kid who had just forcefully dropped out of community college because he couldn't afford it, who had nothing but a guitar and his revolver, and who hadn't met Marty yet and had no van. That was the first time he found himself in this same situation, with that cannon aiming at his head.
His eyes were closed, and everything he could hear was his own bloodstream flowing faster than ever before. 'Do it! Come on, you little piece of shit! Do you wanna keep suffering?! You're already dead on the inside!'. He was trying to convince himself, but he couldn't find the strength necessary to pull the trigger.
Right before giving up, he felt someone slapping his hand and pulling his gun away. He opened his eyes, and he found Rose in front of him.
She didn't look like his Rose. He never thought she could pull such expression. Her emotional state was shattered, her face reddened and wet, her eyes irritated, and she fought to avoid keep crying, mostly uselessly. She seemed to be in pain, not only emotional, but also physical. It was a pain he could feel.
Then, all the feelings he had tried to bury over the years emerged. He launched forward to hug Rose as tightly as he could, crying like an inconsolable baby. He hid his face in her neck, almost running out of air after a minute of weeping.
"Don't leave me… please… don't leave me, Rose…", he muttered against her skin, being audible for the two of them only and recovering his breath.
Everything she could do was hugging him back and caressing his back along with his hair, trying to comfort him. After all, she was in the same situation, sobbing and being consumed by sorrow. "I'll stay with you… forever…", she managed to reply in the calmest tone she could perform.
Garnet just stood there, her threat of unfusing disappearing as Ruby and Sapphire shared the same feeling: sadness.
It was impressive how fast everything fell apart…
And these words should suggest you something to do. Go buy Special K.