Back in her room, Pearl had delicately placed Steven's gem in the center of one of her many pools. She sat, cross legged, the shimmering gem sitting before her. For a long time, perhaps even hours, she stared at it. She repeated the mission over and over in her mind, thinking of all the things they could have done differently. All the things they could have done in the past to protect him.

Steven was the only piece of Rose Quartz that she had left. What if he didn't regenerate? What if he didn't come back at all? What if all she had left was the empty, hollow gem that had once housed the person she had loved most. She felt so helpless, unable to know what was going to happen.

Garnet had been oddly vague when Pearl questioned her about Steven's reappearance. "Everything is going to be fine." She'd said. But her emotions were so hard to read. Had she meant everything would be fine, even though Steven wasn't coming back? Or that Steven would be back, which would make everything fine? She knew Garnet could see many possibilities about the future. What if she hadn't seen any in which Steven returned? Pearl realized that if that were the case, there was no way Garnet would reveal that information. Besides, the future was always changing.

Pearl studied the gem, looking for any sign that he was still there. Normally, time was trivial, the hours and days and months and years all meshing together. Gems didn't need sleep, they didn't need jobs, they didn't need to eat. Their lives were lived very simply. Everything happened whenever it happened, and they always tried to be prepared for whatever was coming.

But now that she had something to wait for, time seemed to move extremely slowly. Two weeks had felt like no time at all for her to be inside her gem, but now only four days seemed like an eternity. It was difficult to know how long he should take, since he had never retreated into his gem before. Each gem had a general time frame that could be applied to their regeneration. Time was not important for gems, so they could take as long as they needed.

The pale gem realized that what she was feeling was oddly human. Humans always seemed to be waiting for something – a package, a birthday, a holiday, a reunion. They never seemed to be satisfied to just be in the present, always hoping and waiting for something else to come along. Pearl had never had to wait for anything. Gems didn't get bored, they took action! Even if there weren't missions to go one, there was always scouting, reorganizing, cleaning – it was healthy to keep an active mind and body.

"Steven... Rose..." Pearl wasn't sure which she might be speaking to. For all she knew, Steven was gone, and when the gem regenerated it might very well be Rose Quartz. Why then, wouldn't Garnet have told her if that was a potential outcome? It was very frustrating, not knowing when or if the Rose Quartz gem would ever see life again.

Tears filled her eyes as she clutched the gem in her hands, recalling fondly the memories that she and Rose had made over thousands of years. How could Rose do this to her? How could she abandon her, after all they'd been through? After all the times that she had fought to protect her, after all the loyalty that she had displayed! Pearl had given up her life, her home, her friends, all for Rose Quartz. And Rose had left her, all for the love of some human!

There was a part of Pearl that had always wished that Steven would just go away. Even if she didn't get Rose Quartz back, the constant reminder of her was always present. Whenever Steven laughed, or smiled, or joked, or when he got that starry look in his eyes, it always reminded her of the memories she and Rose had shared. Making new memories with Steven was nice, and pleasant, but it would never be the same. And here Pearl was, getting her wish for a life without Steven.

He hadn't done anything to deserve this. It wasn't his fault. He hadn't chosen to be born a half gem, to steal Rose Quartz's physical form in exchange for his own. He hadn't chosen to be injured on the mission. But how could they have left one of their own kind behind? And yet, he wasn't their own kind, he was a human. Pearl wished that Rose was here to help them decide what to do with this new kind of creature. She always knew what to do. Her words were always comforting, her being ever present.

Pearl spoke gently to the stone. "Are you still there, Rose? Steven?" She sighed, knowing there would be no answer. "I wish you'd come back. I miss you." She didn't specify who she might be talking to, but perhaps it was both of them. "I hope you'll come back soon. We could really use you."

"Hey!" Pearl was startled from her speech by a familiar voice. Amethyst leapt from a pool of water below onto the top of the waterfall that Pearl was currently residing on. "You really need to keep your junk from-" She looked curiously at Pearl, who had the pink gem clutched to herself protectively. "What is that?"

Pearl debated lying or running away, but she thought better of it. Steven, or Rose, was a friend to all of them. She shouldn't be selfish and hide the gem away. It certainly wouldn't have been what Rose would have wanted. Pearl delicately held out her hands, showing off the shimmering rock to Amethyst.

"Oh." Amethyst dropped the sword she had been trying to return. Losing Steven had been difficult for all of the crystal gems, and Amethyst had avoided going into the house because she knew Greg had been watching the gem. She hadn't even eaten in days, not that she needed to. Oddly, she hadn't been in the mood to indulge herself in her usual human pleasure since Steven had left.

Pearl stood, wiping the still fresh tears from her eyes. "Greg looked tired." she finally broke the silence. Amethyst hadn't really been aware of how long it had been, but now that she thought about it, she'd been avoiding the house for four whole days. Had Greg not left his post that whole time? Amethyst worriedly thought about checking up on her friend. "I finally got him to sleep." Pearl's words reassured Amethyst of Greg's health. At least someone was looking out for him.

"Maybe, I could watch Steven for a little while?" Amethyst didn't like to admit it, but she was extremely worried about Steven. He was a cool little guy, for a human – well, half human. Amethyst had never really felt like he quite fit in, even if he was fun to have around and to train. Amethyst had never lost a friend until Rose Quartz, so death was a very new concept. She hadn't fought in the war, she hadn't lost hundreds of friends like the others. Losing Steven now was especially hard for her, even if she didn't show it.

Pearl noted that Amethyst had said "Steven", but hadn't mentioned Rose. Did Amethyst not consider the possibility that Steven might not be the one to reemerge? Perhaps it was better, much as Garnet was leaving her in the dark, to leave Amethyst in the dark as well. Even though she was reluctant to let the Rose Quartz gem out of her sight, Pearl knew that her teammate needed this. Her friend needed this. Just as Pearl had been guarding and grieving for hours, so to did Amethyst deserve the same.

"I don't see why not." Pearl tried to act nonchalant, despite her inward hesitation. She passed the gem to Amethyst, noting her slightly shaky hands. "Let me know if you want me to take over again, or if you... need anything." The pale gem could tell that Amethyst was more concerned than she was letting on. Pearl knew all too well what it was like to miss someone you loved. Amethyst hadn't gotten to know Rose Quartz as much as Pearl had. Perhaps Amethyst felt a similar protective nature for Steven as Pearl did for Rose.

"Thanks, P." Amethyst turned, leaping down into a pool that led back to her own room. As she fled into a far corner of her space, into a cave made of hoarded items and garbage, she was glad that the puddle had soaked through her hair and clothes. It made it much easier to ignore the fact that she was crying.