One bright star among others just as bright. But Pearl also knew which one it was.
Every time she looked up, it caught her eye. Was it just her, or did it twinkle more? Was it bigger? There had to be something different about it. It couldn't just be like every other star. It was the star that Homeworld orbited.
It was the star that made her hurt every time she saw it.
She sat on the hill above the temple, staring up at it, her heart aching. The pain had numbed over the years, but it was still there. That was where she was meant to be, and while Rose had told her that she belonged here now- with earth, with her- sometimes she still wondered.
"Pearl?"
It was Amethyst. She was acting more and more like a child every day, but her innocence started to seem more like genuine naivete than going out of her way to destroy all of Pearl's good moods. Pearl had suspected that, before she reformed and started acting like this.
"Whatcha doing?"
"Just… stargazing."
"Oh, coool! What star are you looking at right now?"
"How am I supposed to describe which star it is?" Pearl said, chuckling despite herself. Rose had told her to be nice…
"Gimme some landmarks! Uh, sky marks!"
"It's part of that square constellation. The top right star."
"Oh! I see it. Kinda looks like Garnet! Heh." Amethyst sat down next to her and leaned against her side. "Whatcha thinking about, P?"
Pearl sighed, looking down at the gem that had snuggled against her. She picked the younger gem up and set her down in her lap. "That's the star that Homeworld orbits."
"That's your home," Amethyst said, looking up at it.
"I don't know where my home is," Pearl said honestly, wrapping her arms around her. Amethyst leaned into her. Pearl sighed again.
"Earth is my home. No one on Homeworld cares about me. They hardly know I exist. Home is where your family is, and you and Rose and Garnet are my family."
Pearl smiled. "You're my family too."
"Do you have family on Homeworld?"
"I… I used to think I did."
"You left them when you fought," Amethyst said. "That must've been hard."
"Not as much as I should have," Pearl said.
"That's okay. I was left behind, forgotten, and I don't really care anymore. Why should I, y'know? Everything turned out for the best. I met you."
"Pearl? Amethyst?" Rose called from the temple below. "We need your help."
"Yeah. I met you." Pearl stood slowly, no longer caring about that stupid twinkling star. How had she ever thought that Amethyst didn't care?
"Good talk. Good talk," Amethyst said with a grin. Pearl chuckled and lifted Amethyst onto her shoulders.
"Let's go help Rose."