Steven's P.O.V.

I woke up suddenly, heart beating like a drum, but with a silent gasp instead of a scream. Last time I woke up screaming, Pearl ran out of her room thinking I was being attacked. I sat for a moment, trying to take slow, deep breaths and calm myself down. The last few images of my dream flashed through my mind when I closed my eyes. Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl standing over me, telling me how much they wished my Mom was still here, them blaming me for her being gone. Pearl's words were the ones that stung the worst for some reason... Every time she said she hated me, every hard glare, every word she spoke about my Mom and the love behind them in comparison to the words she said to me... Tears started to run down my cheeks as the words, "I wish you hadn't been born," in Pearl's voice ran through my head, over and over again.

The warp pad activated and I saw Amethyst appear from the bright light that wakes me sometimes at night. I saw that Amethyst saw me, although she didn't say a word. She just walked to the temple door, it opened for her and she walked into her room. I sighed and flopped onto my back, wiping tears from my eyes just in case Pearl or Garnet decided to walk out. I'm too awake to fall asleep now, I thought. I got out of bed to get some Chaaps to snack on, went back to my bed and turned the TV on to something random.

About an hour or so later I see Pearl warp into the temple holding some kind of package. I go back to watching the TV, hoping she didn't see me staring at her. I didn't have that kind of luck right now it seems cause she noticed me, awake with the TV on.

"Steven?" she said as she started walking towards the loft where I sleep. I look down at her and play dumb for a moment.

"Pearl!" I act surprised and sat up. "I saw the warp pad activate but I wasn't paying attention to who came through." Pearl didn't seem convinced but didn't push it. Although she did ask, "What are you doing up this late? It's almost 3 in the morning, you should be asleep." She set the package on the coffee table and jumped up to me, not bothering to use the stairs. I scoot over to let her sit next to me. She sits and pulls me into her arms, the way she did when I was five and had woken from a bad dream. "What's wrong Steven? You usually sleep through the night with no issues," she asked, softly rocking me back and forth. Even though I'm twelve years old now, having one of the gems arms around me, especially Pearl for some odd reason, always made me calm and comfortable. I almost forgot about the reason why I had woken up in the first place...almost.

Dream Pearl's words flashed through my mind again and tears started to form in my eyes again. Pearl noticed and hugged me closer. She let me sob for a moment before asking, "What is wrong? Please tell me." She pushed me slightly away so she can look in my eyes. I couldn't look at her. If I did I would lose it. "I'm ok Pearl," I finally say. "Just a bad dream."

She tilts her head to the side, a questioning eyebrow slightly lifted. I don't think she believes me, I thought. She sighs and pulls me into another hug. "It was just a dream Steven," she says, rocking me softly again. "Whatever it was it wasn't real. It's ok."

"I know Pearl," I said into her arm. I'm glad she didn't push it because I don't want the gems to know about this. I want to figure this out on my own. They don't need another weight on their shoulders. They have done so much already...