(Hilltop)

"All that pizza made me really thirsty." Magma said.

"Good thing I brought this." Jarek said, summoning a jug of water from his inventory phone. He handed her the jug.

Magma began chugging the jug of fresh water. She sounded in delight.

"Ah! That was great! What kind of water is this?" Magma asked.

'From the toilet." Jarek said.

Magma spit the water all over him.

Amethyst began laughing.

"Eww!" He said.

Jarek grabbed a cloth he had with him, and wiped his face.

"You are in BIG trouble when we get back, little girl." He said, now pissed.

"This is toilet water! You made me drink this!" She said.

"It was a joke! Jeez!" Jarek said, walking ahead.

"Ohh." Magma said, feeling bad.

"That wasn't nice, Magma. You can't just spit at him." Steven said.

Magma rubbed her eyes, stressed.

They saw Ruby, and Greg sitting at the top of the hill, eating pizza by the van.

"Welp, there they are." Jarek said.

"Oh geez. She's all the way over here.." Amethyst said.

"Hey guys!" Steven called to them.

Ruby turned around, and saw them. "Steven? What are you guys doing here? [Sees Jarek] Oh, it's you. [At Steven] How'd you find us?" Ruby asked.

"We sensed you!" Amethyst said.

'We heard you ordered pizza." Steven said.

"Ruby was just telling me about your mom." Greg said.

"Oh.. are you okay?" Steven asked.

"Well, I fell in love with Rose Quartz, and she fell in love with Mr. Universe. Sure, she never told me she used to be Pink Diamond, but heh, I never told her I used to be Gregory DeMayo." Greg said with a smile. He had already accepted the truth from before.

Jarek nodded at him, still in shock.

"Dad, what's wrong?" Magma asked.

"Nothing. Just uh, hey? Can you give me that toilet water?" Jarek said.

"You said it wasn't." Magma said, handing him the jug.

"Just go with it." Jarek said before drinking from it.

"So.. how are you holding up, Ruby?" Steven asked.

"I'm okay! [bites pizza slice] (Mouth partially full) want a slice?" Ruby asked, eating a slice of pizza.

"Uh.. thank you. [takes a slice] wait, really? You seemed so upset before." Steven said.

"Yeah, but me, and Greg talked it out. I'm fine." Ruby said.

Jarek gulped the last bit of water from the jug, and handed it back to Magma, still watching.

"A-Are you sure?" Steven asked. Amethyst took the slice from his hand, and ate it.

"Yeah. Sapphire was kinda right about everything. We really did stay Garnet because Rose told us to be her.. uh.. answer. It's my first time really thinking about.. me!" Ruby said. She really seemed as if all the weight she had before had been lifted.

"What do you mean?" Steven asked.

"I'm up here, eating pizza! Reading comics! I don't know if Sapphire wants to read comics. I don't have to know!" Ruby said. She threw the comic and the slices of pizza on the grass. "The rest of my life could be like this! I don't have to be Garnet... I can be on my own!"

"Sure!" Greg said.

"I guess." Amethyst said.

"..." Jarek watched, now with a look of concern.

"Wha-wha-whaaaaat?! B-but you guys love each other! You're my favorite couple! You're-you're like sugar, and flour- I-I love eating them separately, but I still want cake! I'm sure Sapphire would wan-" Steven was cut off.

"I'm not fussed about what Sapphire wants! I've seen my own future now. And it's nothin' but Ruby!" Ruby said.

Steven's jaw hung open, as he looked at her in appallment, and shock. He was afraid that she was serious.

"Relax, kiddo. This could be what she needs." Greg said.

"But, dad! what if they never form Garnet again?! We gotta get them back together!" Steven panicked.

"Whoa, that's not our call to make! Ruby's gotta want that for herself! If that's not what Ruby wants, then that's not what Garnet wants." Greg said.

"Ugh, I guess so." Steven said.

Ruby jumped up and down, with Amethyst just watching.

"So.. where you going after this, dude? You just gonna stay out here?" Amethyst asked, with her usual smile.

"I wanna live free! One with the wilderness! Facing danger in every turn! Not leaving nothin' or nobody to get me by! Just like.. [holds up lasso comic] this guy!" Ruby said.

"You mean the lone ranger?" Jarek said, with lowered eyelids.

"No! That's the Lonesome Lasso comic!" Steven corrected. "Wait, what's lone ranger?"

"It's a movie. I'll show you that one another time." Jarek said.

"Okay. Where do you get all these movies from?" Steven said.

"A place very far, and very remote from here. (At Ruby) So you want to be a cowboy, or in this case, a cowgirl?" Jarek said.

"Yup! Ain't no one gon' stop me now!" Ruby said, snapping her finger, pointing at him.

"Well I didn't stop you to begin with. Let's try this. What's the book say? [Takes comic book]" Jarek said, looking at the book. "It looks like a bunch of plains, like a desert?"

"Yeah! That's where I wanna go!" Ruby said.

"I think I know just the place. I'll get ya there." Greg said.

"Thanks!" Ruby said before cartwheeling away.

Jarek shook his head upon seeing it.

"Alright alright, if this is how it's gotta be. I'll support Ruby in her quest for emotional growth." Steven said.

"Pew pew." Jarek said, pretending to shoot him in the head with a laser gun gesture, using his hands.

"Y'all ready to wild west it up?" Greg said.

"Yee-haw!" Ruby said, coming out of the van, now dressed up in a cowboy costume.

"Oh no, what now?" Jarek commented.

"Can I be one too? I wanna be one!" Magma said.

A vein appeared on Jarek's forehead, as he suddenly shot a beam of orange powder, covering Magma completely.

As soon as the gas cleared, Magma was dressed up in one too.

"Abra-fricking-cadabra." Jarek said.

"Thanks!" Magma said, giving him a neck squeezing hug.

"(Losing oxygen) Let go!.. You're killing me!" Jarek said.

Magma parted from the hug, leaving Jarek panting.

"How do you do that?" Steven asked.

"What?" Jarek said.

'She just changed clothes right now from that cloud." Steven said.

"Magic." Jarek said, waving his fingers.


(Grassland)

Werner-22 rattled its neck, and spoke.

"Yellow Diamond requests your presence." Werner-22 said.

"No, she'll destroy this place. I can't let her do this!" Steve said.

"She only wants you with her. She also granted me permission to use brute force if required. Make this easier on yourself, and come with me at once." Werner-22 said.

".. you sure she just wants us?" Michelle said.

"Why would I lie? I live to serve her." Werner-22 said.

"Guys, no!" Michael said.

Steve thought for a minute.

"Maybe she won't do it." Steve said.

"WHAT?" Michelle said.

"Michelle, this is your mom. Michael. You guys need to be with her. She already welcomed us back. Who knows, maybe she won't even do anything to this place." Steve said.

"Dad, you sound INSANE! She's going to revive the cluster, and then shatter all the gems!" Michelle said.

"Yellow Diamond has updated her objective on the earth. To spare Rose Quartz with the purpose of finding Pink Diamond within her body. The crystal gems are of no importance to her. Another target she wants is Orange Diamond, and her human counterpart, Jarek." Werner-22 said.

"But Orange Diamond is dead." Steve said.

"Negative." Werner-22 said. "Your time is up."

"Alright alright. We'll go with you to Yellow Diamond. (At Michelle & Michael) Just follow my lead." Steve said.

"..." The two groaned as they followed.

"Brilliant. See how it wasn't hard to obey. Follow me back to my ship." Werner-22 said, before walking in the opposite direction.


(Yellow Diamond's Ship)

"Making an escape during the attack? You knew we would find you." Yellow Diamond said.

"No, I panicked when we got overrun." Steve said.

"And yet I have to send a wireframe to retrieve you. I am ashamed of you, Steve." Yellow Diamond said.

Steve sighed, now reluctant to be with her.

"Whatever. What was the point of me returning here if you were gonna treat me like shit?" Steve said.

"Because you righted a wrong you made. You know better than to leave us." Yellow Diamond said.

"Fine. Anything else you want, m'lady?" Steve said.

"Michael, Michelle, leave us." Yellow Diamond said.

"(Bored) Yes mom.." Michelle said.

"I wish my dad would jump off a cliff." Michael said.

The two exited the room.

"Come over here." Yellow Diamond said.

Steve walked to her boots.

She shot a beam of diamond energy at him, which enlarged his body to Diamond size.

She hugged him tightly.

"Yellow.." He said.

"Stop leaving. I can't take anymore of it. You think I don't love you, don't you?" She said.

"(Sigh) Oh yeah. And my children, think the same." Steve said.

"It's not true. It never was." She said.

"Yeah?" He said.

"Yes." She said.

"I'm glad you warmed up to me. I missed being with you." He said.

"Now that I remember everything, me too." She said.

The two shared a kiss. This one was different. A kiss that reunited their love for each other. To Steve, he felt like he was whole again, with his wife in his arms. This was a reunion kiss.

Michelle, and Michael watched.

"It's gonna take a while before I forgive her." Michael said.

"She said she loves us. That should be your chance to forgive her." Michelle said.

"You're kidding me, right? You were with me earlier, now you believe her?" Michael said.

"But she sounds like she really means it. Look at dad and her." Michelle said.

Steve cupped Yellow Diamond's face and smiled.

"It's good to be back with you." He said.

"Good to have you back." She said. "I have a mission for you, I want you to go find Jarek."

Steve nodded.

"Alright. Hopefully he understands what I'm gonna tell him."


(Western plains / / middle of nowhere)

Jarek was playing a blues harmonica, in the tune of Nobody gets out alive.

"~ Life is a highway and it's mightyy fucking looong. It's full of twists and turns so you know shit's gon' go wrong. ~" He sang.

"What are you singing?" Steven said.

"Nobody gets out alive by Samuel Jackson." Jarek said.

"Oh." Steven said.

"You never heard of Samuel Jackson?" Jarek asked.

"Isn't he the guy who always gets mad in his movies?" Steven said.

"A pretty direct way of saying it, yes. He always says motherfucker and all that. Heh heh." Jarek chuckled.

"Yeah.. I wonder what's taking Ruby so long?" Steven said.

"Who knows?" Jarek said before opening a bottle of water and taking a drink of it.

"Got anymore of those?" Steven said.

Suddenly a bottle of water was thrown to him.

"Man, you really have a lot of things in that phone, don't you?" Steven said.

"I have my bags packed in case the worst comes to worst again for me. In this case, we're out here in the middle of nowhere, and I'm the only one who has replenishments." Jarek said.

"Yeah. Thanks for that. Phew! I could really use the bathroom right now." Steven said.

"Go do it in a bush or something, I don't have portable porta-potties." Jarek said.

"Yeah, kinda figured." Steven said. He walked away, to find one.

Jarek took out a cigarette and lit it up.

"Ugh. If only you could see me now, mom." Jarek said.

There was silence. He closed his eyes.

"The heat, and the wind noise. Gawd, I love it." He said to himself.

"Help! Help!" Ruby said, running.

There was a snake chasing her, hissing.

"Do you need some help, Ruby?" Jarek said.

Then the snake jumped, and wrapped itself onto her.

"Uhh Jarek!" She said, frozen in fear.

"Okay snakey snake, get off her." Jarek said.

"But I wanna cuddle." The snake said.

"Dude, that's weird. Get off!" Jarek said.

The snake hissed at him.

"Okay, if you get off her, I'll give you a live rat." Jarek said.

The snake hissed happily and slithered off of Ruby.

Jarek pulled out a live rat from his phone.

"Seriously, I was wondering what you kept that thing in here for!" Orange Diamond said.

Jarek dropped the rat into the snake's mouth, and it slithered away.

"Phew! Thanks a bunch!" Ruby said.

"Oh GO ON." Jarek said, brushing her off, and walking.

Ruby didn't understand why he said that to her. Did she say something wrong to him?

"Hey, that wasn't very nice." Greg said, approaching them from his van.

"Mind your business, Greg. I didn't say anything to you." Jarek said.

"No, but you were just rude to Ruby." Greg said.

"Yeah, she knows full well why." Jarek said.

"What? What did I do?" She said, confused.

Jarek only shook his head at her, and walked away.

"Did I say something?" Ruby said, confused.

"I don't know. Let me talk to him." Greg said, following.

"Greg, I care about you as a good friend of mine, and I'm kindly asking you not to further follow me." Jarek said. He had a vein on his forehead. Though he was a bit sore about Ruby from earlier, the heat was starting to affect him.

"Are you sure? You seem pretty mad." Greg said.

"Just leave me alone." Jarek said.

"Well I wanna be able to help." Greg said.

"JUST GO AWAY!" Jarek said, running.

"Hey! Jarek!" Greg said, trying to follow, but he couldn't keep up.

Ruby began to think.

"Was it back at the temple? On the ride?" She thought.


(Boulder Alley)

Jarek panted, and began punching the boulder in front of him.

"Who does she think she is, thanking me for getting her out of a stupid fricking snake thing like that?! She has the nerve to tell me she doesn't trust me, and then all of a sudden she acts like everything's okay!" Jarek said.

"Well you gotta remember, she's going through a tough time right now. Cut her some slack." Orange Diamond said.

"Who are you siding with here, Orange? Me, or her?" Jarek said.

"Well, you, obviously. But what I'm saying is, she was only distrustful because you didn't tell her about Pink Diamond, and she was a little selfish about that on her behalf. That's all. Look, if you want to go home, it's okay. Just, take Magma home too. Don't storm off." Orange Diamond said.

"As if I'd leave my own flesh and blood behind!" Jarek said.

Then the angering thought of Ruby only made him angrier.

"MOTHER-" He said before punching the rock, and causing it to split into pieces.

"Jarek, hitting things isn't going to make things better. Just take it easy." Orange Diamond said.

"I wish I hadn't come along on this stupid trip. I wish I didn't have to deal with Ulyssa, and whatever bullshit she's bringing along." Jarek said.

"Well she is crazy, but you did kind of let it happen." Orange Diamond said.

"How so?" Jarek said.

"Well you went adventuring with Steven, instead of letting him handle it himself." Orange Diamond said.

"I wasn't gonna let him possibly get lost in space. He got kidnapped too, and.. I-I had to do something!" Jarek said.

"I know, Jarek. I'm not saying it was a bad thing, what you did. But in doing that, you also let this happen. That's all I'm saying." Orange Diamond said.

Jarek face palmed at this.

"You're right, you're right." He said.

"Now go apologize to Ruby for your outburst." Orange Diamond said.

"Not right now." Jarek said.

"What not right now?" Ruby said.

Jarek was caught off guard by this, and saw her.

"What are you doing over here?" He asked.

"I saw the way you went, and followed you. Are you mad at something I said?" She said.

".. don't worry about it. I shouldn't have gotten mad the way I did." Jarek said.

"No no, I remember now. It was when I left the crystal temple, wasn't it?" She said.

Jarek squeezed his eyes shut with his fingers.

"Please just leave the issue alone. I'm gonna need the anger for when the diamonds come." He said.

"No, Jarek. It's not okay to hold onto things like that. Look, if it means anything, I'm sorry I did that." She said.

Jarek lit another cigarette, and inhaled. Then after a few seconds, he exhaled.

".. just go away. I need some time to cool off." He said.

"But Jarek, I came to apologize. You came along to help me." She said.

"And I'm telling you, I need some time to be alone." Jarek said.

"(Sigh) Okay." She said before walking away.

3 hours passed, and Jarek was sitting against another boulder, and nearly asleep. The sky was now dark, and the van was nearby, still parked at it's spot.

Steve went over to him, and nudged his left shoulder.

Jarek awoke, and looked up at him.

"Huh?" He said, awakening.

"It's time to go." Steve said.

"(Sleepily) Okay." Jarek said, getting up and following.

Then he suddenly tripped, and awoke.

He realized what was about to happen.

"WAIT, to where?" Jarek said, shocked.

"Nowhere, just to my ship." Steve said, trying to continue the smooth way of taking him.

Jarek grabbed him in halt.

"WHY?" Jarek said.

".. because we're just going for a ride. You know?" Steve said.

"But wait, why are you wearing brand new homeworld styled clothes?" Jarek said before taking a sniff of his scent. He smelled like Yellow Diamond.

"No!.. " Jarek said, in shock.

"Look, it's not what you're thinking." Steve said.

"THEN WHAT IS IT?" Jarek said, worried.

"She's taken me back, I revived her memory of us, and our kids, and our marriage together. And she wanted me to take you back to her. She knows what's up with you, and Orange. She doesn't want to hurt you." Steve said.

"You lying piece of shit!" Jarek said.

"Hey, I didn't lie about anything. Calm down." Steve said.

"First you try and smooth me over to your ship like you totally weren't suspicious. And now here you are, admitting the truth that you're now with Yellow Diamond. The one who (I hope you didn't forget) MURDERED me!" Jarek said. "You sided with her, after everything we've been through!" Jarek said.

"But she's different now. She knows more of the truth now. She's going to welcome you if you come with me." Steve said.

"I won't go with you to someone who is just going to do the same to me again!" Jarek said, readying his aura.

"No, Jarek. I won't fight you." Steve said.

"I don't want to fight you either, but you're not leaving me much of a choice." Jarek said, hurt that he was now turned. In his eyes.

"Jarek, I don't want to do this with you. Just listen to me! Yellow won't do anything to you. I'll make sure of it! She knows you have a family here, and she's understanding. Maybe not in the recent past, but she can be. She has been before." Steve said.

"I left Ulyssa because I didn't want her. I didn't love her the way I thought I did. It was all a lie to me, and to her." Jarek said.

"You what?" Steve said.

Jarek exerted a force towards Steve, sending him flying to a boulder.

Steve recovered from the attack, and readied his ball & chain.

Jarek threw a boulder at him. He jumped up to the boulder to assist in his attack.

Steve broke the boulder with his ball & chain, and laid an attack at him.

(PUNCH!)

Jarek flew to the rock-like wall, and sustained significant damage to his spine.

He grunted, trembling from his impact.

Steve landed on his two feet.

"Hyaah!" He yelled out, swinging his ball & chain like a fishing rod.

Jarek focused, and within a second, he shifted out of the wall, avoiding a serious final blow.

The ball collapsed the wall.

He ran to Steve, and jumped into his chest, pushing him down, causing Steve to drop his weapon.

Jarek began punching him.

Steve suffered 6 hits to the face, leaving him in a daze.

Jarek got up, panting from his attack.

"You were my best friend, Steve! How could you do this to me?!" He said.

"I didn't-I didn't do anything to you! She wanted me take you home. For you, and Orange to be home." Steve said.

"Orange has no home among the stars. Don't you get it? They're coming to kill us all, and you sided against me, with Yellow, and White Diamond on this." Jarek said.

Steve coughed harshly.

"No I didn't. I sided with the one I love! As you did many times before you let her go. She was perfect for you! She loved you!" Steve said.

"I didn't love her, damn it! She deserves to be away from me, and with someone else!" Jarek said.

"You have kids together." Steve continued.

"Her kids that I'm forced to care for and look after." Jarek said.

"You piece of [unleashes eye beam] SHIT!" Steve said, shooting a beam of paracausal energy at him.

Jarek had strafed to the right, running away from the beam.

Steve turned, trying to aim his gaze at his foe.

Jarek vanished, and reappeared behind Steve.

Steve turned 180 degrees around, and landed a punch right in Jarek's stomach, earning a yelp.

Then he landed another hit, and sent him flying to a rock.

Jarek was stuck in the rock, unable to move.

He struggled to break free, as he saw Steve prepping his beam again.

"Orange, what do I do?" He said to himself, alarmed.

"Close your eyes, and focus on our energy." Orange Diamond said.

Jarek breathed slowly.

Suddenly the rock broke, and Jarek was struck by the blast.

The blast didn't do much damage, as the energy inside him was repelling it.

Jarek sent a jolt of flame to it, causing it to travel at a fast speed.

Steve exclaimed, and ceased his eye beam before the flame could reach his eye. It instead fell to the ground.

Jarek ran to him, causing Steve to back step a few feet.

Steve flinched when he saw Jarek jump up, and deliver a sucker punch to his face.

He fell back, dazed.

Jarek grabbed his collar, and held him there.

"I'm sorry for this, mate." Jarek said.

(SMACK!)

Steve was left dumbfounded.

Then he kicked Jarek in the crotch, and then in the stomach again, this time stunning him good this time.

Jarek groaned and held his stomach with his hands.

"What the hell was that?! A slap?!" Steve said, weirded out, not so hurt by it.

"I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to fight you!" Jarek said.

"You engaged me!" Steve said.

"Yes, because you intend to abduct me!" Jarek said.

"She said to bring you back alive. And that's what I will do! Make this easier, and come with me!" Steve said.

"You sound insane! What hero or villain surrenders?" Jarek said.

"Well you see, if you surrender, [Jarek starts cringing] you won't get as bad of a punishment as a person who would be captured unwillingly would. So if you come with me, my dear Yellow won't put you in harm's way. And you will be welcomed back by your worried, and crybaby excuse of a mother." Steve said.

"(Orange-angry) You say that as if she is YOUR MOTHER to say that about!" Jarek said, literally glowing bright, and dashing to him.

Steve flinched again, as he was still in shock from having to cancel his beam attack early. Doing that has a very BAD effect for him. He flinches easier than he would if the occurrence didn't happen.

Jarek laid down a fury of punches, which created a punching clash, with Steve blocking poorly, and Jarek landing him failed, and successful hits between shots.

Then he landed a kick to Steve's face, sending him flying up.

Jarek teleported behind him, and chopped his neck with his right hand.

"[CHOP!] Chop!" He said.

Steve landed on the ground with a thud like a dead body, unconscious with his eyes open.

"You fool. You should have been there with me. You should have been. I loved you like a brother, man. You were my brother, I didn't want to do that to you, but you don't shit-talk someone's mom! Much less a diamond's mom!" Jarek said, in disbelief.

"Jarek, your zipper has been down this whole time." Orange Diamond pointed out.

Jarek looked down in panic, saw this was true, and zipped his pants.

"So much for trying to sound badass, loser." Orange Diamond said.

"Oh shut up. I didn't know! Ugh.. why Steve?" Jarek said. In his mind, he imagined a time where the both of them were laughing, with Black Diamond by his side. He felt as though that memory was now meaningless.

Then he looked to his left, and right, checking for any possible witnesses.

Then he covered him with a blanket, and ran off.

Minutes after Steve was knocked out, he rose up, with a frown and growl.

"You're not getting away that easy!" Steve said as he got up, gripping his neck in pain. He ran in the direction Jarek went.

Then he tripped over nothing, literally. A whisp of dust flew from where he landed.

Steve tried to get up, but he passed out yet again.

"(Before passing out) I'm sorry, Yellow." He said.


(Van)

Ruby was sleeping in a sleeping bag, as was Steven in his caterpillar bag, and Greg was sleeping in the back of his van. Magma was sleeping beside Steven, holding him close to her.

Amethyst was eating a cactus.

Jarek ran back to the resting site, and panted.

"Yo Jarek! Cooled off yet?" Amethyst said.

"Yeah. I took it all out on Steve. He tried to abduct me." Jarek said.

"Wait, what?" She said.

"Yeah, he almost did get me when he had woken me. I wasn't all there in my head when I just woke up, and he would have if I hadn't tripped." Jarek said.

"Whoa whoa, Steve? He was nearby?" Amethyst said.

"Yes, he was. I think he's gonna be out for a while. Our fight kinda got out of hand, and now he's sleeping in a blanket." Jarek said.

"Oh no, you didn't kill him, did you?" She asked.

"What? No, no. Why is Magma sleeping like that?" Jarek said, noticing Magma sleeping with Steven.

"Her? I don't know. They were talking for a bit before they went to sleep. Magma seems to be hitting it off with him pretty well." Amethyst said.

"Believe me, she's got a lot to learn before she starts dating anyone." Jarek said.

"I don't think it was that she was going for. I think she likes him." She said.

"I know she does, and I told her once before she's too young for that right now." Jarek said.

"Yeah. So what's the deal with you, and Black Diamond?" She asked.

"We're no longer together. I split up with her because.. I've already told the story a million times." Jarek said.

"Yeah, something about you not loving her anymore or something?" She said.

"Yeah, it was that." Jarek said.

"Dang. So who are you dating now?" She said.

"Holly, as soon as this shit's over." Jarek said.

"Holly Blue Agate? Isn't she like, a big mean gem?" She said.

"Yeah, but I talked to her, and she's taken a liking to me. Honestly though, she's more of my type anyway," Jarek said.

"How so?" She said.

"Well, she's big, mature, pretty, and she's serious like me." Jarek said.

"Okay." Amethyst said.

"Yup." Jarek said.


...