Oh man...Please don't hate me by the end of this...

Steven didn't even know where he got the bike. He'd had it for years. Steven rode along in the sand on his "new" bike, hoping something interesting would happen. Today Connie came into town right? He couldn't remember, he guessed it was about time-

speak of the devil. There she was, reading her book by the side of the cliff, Steven had almost forgotten about Connie, he hadn't seen her in forever it felt like, now he got to meet her all over again.

Then a thought struck him the caused tears to prick his eyes. All their adventures, all of their good times. All gone. Connie hadn't experienced them yet, here she was, just as she was a year or two ago and it was painful to see her like this, she didn't know him, but he knew her, it hurt him in a way he didn't understand.

Finally he decided to talk to her.

"U-um hello." Steven said to Connie, she looked up form her book just for a moment, and waved to him. Steven looked at her glasses, that's right she still needed those. A small smile crept up to his face, but what should he say now? "What are you reading?" He asked, shuffling nervously, the same anxiety he felt the first time. His best friend. Right in front of him, and he couldn't even talk to her like he used to.

"It's a book series called Unfamiliar Familiar." She answered, turning a page. Steven remembered reading that book, and how obsessed Connie was with it, it brought a smile to his face.

"The cover looks really cool!" He commented seeing the cover with a picture of Lisa on it. (Honestly I don't remember the cover so I'm just gonna guess one of them had her on it) Connie nodded. Steven sighed, deciding not to go back to his house, he knew a rock was supposed to tumble down and attempt to crush Connie, and he wanted to protect her before it reached her. Connie noticed his bike.

"That bike looks pretty new." She commented, she had that quiet voice, the one Steven guessed as shy, although she didn't have any other friends to open herself up to so it wasn't surprising. Steven nodded, glancing up at the cliff, it was just barely hanging- and...

The cliff collapsed. A large boulder threatened to strike directly on top of Connie. "Huh?" She said, her eyes widened as she saw the large rock, Steven charged up next to her, preparing his bubble, or his shield or anything! He shut his eyes tightly, preparing for the loud crash as his bubble hit the boulder. Nothing happened.

Steven looked up, he was in his bubble, but where was the boulder? Steven looked to his left, and saw Pearl, and the two halves of the boulder on the ground next to her, her spear drawn.

"Steven, are you okay?!" Pearl cried, rushing over to his bubble. "H-how did you...?" She trailed off. She noticed the girl beside him and looked at Steven with curiosity, "Steven, who is this?" She asked. Steven thought for a moment, wait wasn't she watching out from the window? Why weren't Pearl and the others watching like last time?

"Wheres Garnet and Amethyst?" Steven asked, ignoring the question, his bubble still up, he noticed and popped it, Connie was lying unconscious behind him, probably fainted form fear this time, last time she didn't seem to notice, but this time she was looking up at Steven so she must've seen it fall down.

"Their on a mission." Pearl answered, this shocked Steven they shouldn't be going on another mission for a day or two, why were they out?

"O-oh this is C- This is just a friend I met here on the beach." He stopped himself from saying her name, since she hadn't told him and it might bring up trouble if Pearl called Connie by her name and Connie had never told her or him her name. "What's going on?" Steven asked Pearl.

"What- Oh the mission, Garnet said there was someone around beach city that was acting shifty and just decided to check it out, Amethyst insisted on going since she didn't want to be left with me, and it was boring around here anyways." Pearl answered. Steven wondered who the shifty person was. Maybe it was Peridot and she had come early this time around? But why? Steven thought for a moment, he glanced over to Connie.

"Oh right! We should probably bring her inside and help her.." Steven said. Pearl nodded.

"Alright." She draped the girl on her shoulder and carried her to the home.

Steven wet a rag and put it over the unconscious girls head. He smiled, he missed when they were best friends, now he'd have to make friends with her all over again. Centipeedle climbed up next to Connie on the couch, snuggling between her feet and the end of the couch, acid was spilling over it in large clumps, Steven sighed, unable to lift the sleeping gem monster, it was just too cute...But he needed to, he lifted it up and put it on a large pillow on the floor...which it immediately spilled acid on.

Connie's eyes fluttered open lazily. She groaned, sitting up and rubbing her temples. She looked around, grabbing her glasses to see. "What-"

"You fell unconscious when that boulder fell from the cliff." Steven answered, not letting her finish. He smiled at her, relieved she was okay.

"Oh...Then..How.." Connie trailed off.

"Oh, I blocked it." He said awkwardly.

"With what?!" Connie cried, eager to hear his response. He sighed and let his bubble form he smiled, relieved it worked.

'With this!" He said, grinning, he popped it seeing the shocked face Connie wore and stepped over, closer to Centipeedle. He smiled sheepishly.

"H-How did you-" Connie stopped when seeing the warp pad activate, gaping at the two gems who stood there, carrying...No...Could it be...

Was Steven right all along? Could Peridot be roaming the city..Because what lay in their hands, was a flask robonoid. Steven took a step back, seeing it shocked him, he was reminded of Peridot and how she tried to kill them. A lot. Connie noticed his behavior and a curious look crossed her face. Garnet set it down, speculating something, she stared at him for a moment, before going into the temple, carrying the robonoid with her.

And that's it! Also this will not be a two parter, this will just carry on to the next episode, also CONNIE AND STEVEN WILL BE FRIENDS LATER ON I will announce this again next chapter, and I plan to add Connie back into the story in the episode: Beach Party, because one, it'll be 10x more exciting and two, I can't bear the fact of not having Connie in the series, shes one of my favorite characters, design wise, and personality wise. (Course Lapis triumphs over all...)