It was quiet in the house. It was unexpected, Steven was never quiet. There had been a lot of noise some time ago…she forgot how long. The business of Greg stopping by, a conversion she hadn't listened to, and now…quiet.

Other than Pumpkin, who scratched at the door. She wasn't sure why. She was superior to most organic lifeforms. She didn't require feeding or regular consumption of liquid to retain life, of course if she had then Lapis could have provided water. Water was her whole thing! She would have been great at it!

Of course, Lapis was gone, that was the problem. That was why she was lying in Steven's too quiet house; in this rather comfy bathtub she couldn't enjoy. No matter how much work Steven had gone to for her. Lapis was gone, she thought they had meant something to each other. They had made meep morps and Pumpkin and memories…and a home. A home that was gone, along with Lapis…which left her...alone.

She was alone, and Pumpkin was scratching at the door, and no one else was going to let her out. Peridot pulled herself up over the edge of the bathtub and fell over onto the floor, "You are the most irritating vegetation I know." She told Pumpkin. She dragged herself to her feet and opened the door.

"I'm just letting Pumpkin out so don't get excited." She told the too quiet house. No one responded. "Guys?" She asked the empty house. "Steven? Amethyst?" She asked as she walked to the front door and opened it for Pumpkin, who ran out happily and rolled in the sand. "Pearl? Garnet?" She called. She looked around the small house, it looked much the same just…without anyone in it. They weren't on the beach. She wondered if they were helping at the car wash like she had done while they were in space.

Finally on the door she found a sign, 'Gone Vacationing'. "What's vacationing?" She asked no one in particular. Still, she understood half of the sign just fine. 'Gone'. Gone just like Lapis was. Left without her, not that she wanted to go anywhere. That was the problem. She didn't want to go and everyone else did. To space, or to vacation. What did it matter, it was away from her.

"Pumpkin! We are going in!" But Pumpkin rolled in the sand, making happy noises and ignoring her.

"Fine." Peridot sat on the porch and stared at Pumpkin "We can stay here. If you don't leave as well."

Pumpkin came up to her briefly and rubbed against her leg, allowing her to pet her before she ran off to play again. At least there was someone who wouldn't leave her. At least she had Pumpkin.

When Pumpkin was ready, she went back inside. She got her earth tablet and looked up what 'vacation' meant.

: a period spent away from home or business in travel or recreation

Along with a million ads for different places to go…vacations…looked fun. Getting away from your problems. Like her. Like lapis. Running away from everything wrong…she thought Steven was better than this.

She thought Steven cared about her!…she cared about Steven. She wouldn't have left Steven alone in a bathroom, okay, well, she would all the time, but that was different! He wanted to be alone in the bathroom and it was gross!

Well, maybe she wanted to be alone in the bathroom, did he think of that? Maybe she would eat ice cream and listen to sad music and cry! Just like they did on Camp Pining Hearts!

She went to the freezer and located the ice cream. She shoveled a big scoop of ice cream into her mouth…what did she do now?

It sat awkwardly in her mouth and slowly turned to goo until she spat it into the sink. Well…her first plan had failed. She wasn't doing that again.

She went into the bathroom with Pumpkin and shut the door, typing on her earth tablet until sad music filled the room.

'Show me the meaning of being lonely,

So many words for the broken heart.'

She flopped face first into the bathtub. How did one cry on command, she wondered? Steven was an expert on the matter, and she would ask him had he not been gone on his 'vacation'. It was no matter; she was more than qualified to figure it out.

'Show me the meaning of being lonely

Is this the feeling I need to walk with?

Tell me why I can't be there where you are

There's something missing in my heart'

It turned out crying on command wasn't as hard as one might think. Tears leaked from Peridot's eyes, and she didn't feel as proud as she thought she would. But she had done it. This was a success; she had eaten ice cream and was listening to sad music and crying. Just like they did on Camp Pining Hearts!

Definition of Vacation from the Merriam-Webster dictionary.

Lyrics from 'Show me the meaning of being lonely' by the Backstreet Boys