Chapter 5: Sayonara

The wait had put Connie to sleep. One moment she was staring up at the ceiling, and the next her eyelids began to drop. Finally, with a calm breath leaving her lips, Connie drifted off to dream.

Only to be awoken by the warp pad coming to life.

"I'm awake!" she shouted, her head rocketing off the couch. She flinched, a knot in her neck immediately punishing her for daring to get up. That's what she deserved for sleeping on such an old and uncomfortable couch, she thought. "Who's—"

Connie's eyes blinked open, staring wide towards the warp pad.

Steven.

He was as frozen as she was, staring back at her with those dumb old eyes of his. Mouth hanging agape, Steven shifted in place, the set of bags on his back and arm swinging as he turned. Connie practically wanted to laugh as she recognized his cheeseburger backpack and hot dog duffel bag. He really hadn't changed, she thought.

But on the surface, he definitely had. Steven had changed, especially in his height. That picture Connie saw didn't do him any justice; Steven was ginormous, a solid seven feet tall, with the frame wide enough to match. He was a far cry from the boy she knew.

"C-Connie?" Steven stammered.

"Hey, jam bud," Connie replied, giving him a smile. The two remained frozen in place, neither moving or breaking the shocked impasse. That was until, a third party joined.

"Welcome home, Steven!" Peridot said with a smile, reinserting herself into the scene and approaching her husband. With a tug of his shirt, Peridot pulled Steven to her level and pressed a kiss to his cheek. His eyes fluttered as he was brought back down to Earth.

"Hiya!"

Steven dropped his bags and immediately scooped Peridot off the ground, making her yelp in surprise as he carried her into the room. Connie was taken aback, watching as Steven twirled forward, the tiny Peridot in his arms. Yet, after a few moments, she broke into laughter, her head dipping back as she went along with it. Steven laughed with her as he came to a stop, eyes bright and smile wide.

"Connie!" he said, beaming at her.

"Steven!" she cheered back, grin growing as she stood up. She rushed him, throwing her arms around his waist as she hugged on tight. Connie yelped as Steven scooped her up as well, twirling through the room with her and Peridot in hand.

"Ahh! Look at you guys, you're so small!" he laughed. "You guys haven't been the same size in years!"

"Pfft, don't remind me," Peridot said, rolling her eyes with a small smile.

"Hah, don't mind her, Connie. She's still bitter I'm too big to be in the Shorty Squad anymore." Steven winked at Connie, eliciting a well deserved punch to his arm from Peridot. "Ahhh, I've been hit!"

Connie snorted in laughter as Steven melodramatically stumbled his way to the couch, falling over like a soldier defeated in the finale of a film. Still smiling, Peridot detached herself from the perch on Steven's arm, landing on the floor and leaving the two old friends to laugh between themselves.

"I'm almost done with the device to send Connie back, so don't get too attached you two," she threw out there, approaching the makeshift workshop in the kitchen again.

"Awww, come on Peri, does she have to leave so soon?" Steven whined, puckering his lips at Peridot. The technician Gem rolled her eyes as she turned to her work.

"No way, mister. We're talking all of space-time. I'm not letting you schmooze your way into another hour like last time," Peridot dismissed.

"Fiiiine." Steven shot Connie a wink, which made her giggle. Then, however, she paused.

"Last time? What happened last time?" Connie asked. Giving an awkward laugh, Steven shook his head.

"Spoilers," he said, just as Connie playfully punched him in the other arm. "Ah, jeeze, I'm just taking all the hits today."

"You deserve it, pfahaha," Connie jeered, just as Steven deposited her next to him on the couch. The two shared a few moments of quiet then, as neither was sure of what to say. It was strange, they both thought, seeing your best friend from twenty years in the past/future.

Especially, when it seemed like they hadn't changed in the slightest.

"This, is gonna be a dumb question, but," Connie began.

"Oh perfect, I'm an expert in dumb questions. Just ask Peridot, " Steven jested. From her workshop, Peridot laughed. Connie let out a content sigh as she looked down at her hands. Then, however, she took a deep breath.

"My question is… Are, are you and I still close? Like, we didn't drift apart, when I went to college, right?" Connie's lips went flat as she finished her question. A part of her immediately regretted asking, out of sheer embarrassment.

What if Steven took offense at the idea? Or what if they had drifted apart, and Steven just wanted to relish in a version of herself that was still close to him?

What if—

"Connie, you live here," Steven said immediately, turning to Peridot. "Did you not tell her she lives here?"

"Wait, what?" Connie blinked once then twice in astonishment.

"No, of course I didn't tell her that," Peridot groaned from her seat. She pressed her face into her palm before pinching the bridge of her nose. "Her past self didn't say we told her, so I thought we shouldn't."

"What do you guys mean I live here, like, here in the house?" Connie's eyes sweeped the room, looking for some tell tale sign that this had become a home for four. Steven chuckled.

"No silly, you live in the temple with— Ow!" Steven winced as the nut of a bolt smacked into the side of his head. "What was that for, Peri?"

"No more spoilers! Especially not that!" she demanded. "There's no way that won't tear a hole in space and time. Telling her she lives with us with—"

Peridot paused, pursing her lips.

"Telling her she lives here was already too much," she continued. A sigh escaped her as she turned to face Connie. "Look, Connie. I know you're excited to hear about the amazing things you do in the future, or how we all turn out at the end of things, but—"

"It's better if you get to see it all yourself," Steven continued, completing Peridot's sentence. He locked eyes with Connie. "Hearing about it is great and all, but living it? Now, that's an experience."

"Pfffft," Connie snorted into her hand, Steven's callback catching her off guard. "I can't believe you just quoted Garnet."

Steven's head dipped back against the couch as he burst with laughter, caught in his attempt to seem wiser than he was. Following along with him, Connie felt her snorts evolve into snickering before finally full blown cackling. She fell back onto her spot on the couch right next to Steven.

The pair's laughter petered out, contentment filling the silence between them. Connie, with her eyes to the ceiling, felt the smile on her face widen. She had turned her stomach up in knots, asking the question of how Steven had changed, how many things had changed between them.

Yet, here they were, laughing like they hadn't not seen the other in twenty years. Here they were, being themselves.

Being Steven and Connie.

Sometime later, Peridot had finished the device. It crept up on Connie, who found herself quite enjoying her time with the future Steven. After some half baked excuses to delay, she relented, agreeing to finally be sent back. With everything set, the Gems were called in to say the last goodbyes.

"This one won't blow up, right?" Connie asked, nudging Peridot as she placed the small device in the center of the living room. It was a small thing, filled with gears and wires, and a single tube that shot in and out of it in precise locations.

"Pffft, I've been perfecting this design for twenty years now. Tested it numerous times before deconstructing the prototypes. It'll work, trust me." Peridot laughed, looking down at the notepad in her hands. Connie blinked.

"Why'd you do that?" Her eyes flicked to Pearl and Amethyst, who were sitting across from the two on the couch. "Why not just build it once?"

Peridot looked up.

"To show you I could make it work," she answered. "My first attempt didn't give you the best sense of what I could do."

Connie smiled as Peridot returned to the final preparations.

"Alright, I think it's time," Peridot said once. "Nyehehe. Time."

The room came to life, crowding around the device as Peridot leaned down to flick a switch. They cleared back quickly, however, as it began to vibrate.

Connie flinched, expecting a loud boom to fill the room and blow her back again. Even when none came, she still stood tensed, her eyes clenched shut. As Steven put a steady hand on her shoulder, however, she relaxed.

She opened her eyes.

It was like a calm ripple of water, suspended in space and time. The air around the center of it bent and curved in steady waves, spreading out with a gentle jaunt. And coming from it was sound, a serene melody, that filled the entire room with a quiet ambient, music.

It was light.

Connie gulped at the sight of it, her apparent ride home. A part of her wasn't sure whether she was meant to walk into the thing or take a picture. She dismissed the thought though. There was probably some reason that was a bad idea, and she didn't want to tempt fate anymore.

"Whoa." Amethyst's voice was the first to crack the room. Tearing her eyes away, Connie looked to the Gem, who stood slack-jawed. Pearl patted Amethyst's shoulder, similarly captivated by the sight. At that, Connie remembered something.

"Would it be too much to ask why Garnet isn't here?" she said, turning to Steven and Peridot again. The two looked at one another, and at that Connie had her answer. "Got it, spoilers."

Her sight returned to the mass of light.

"It was, amazing, seeing you all," she said, a smile growing on her face. "I can't wait to meet up again! In, uh, twenty years."

"Goodbye Connie!" Pearl called first, waving to the girl. She smiled. "You better not slack on any training!"

Connie burst with a laugh, saluting Pearl with a grin.

"Ayy, you better listen to her," Amethyst added, nudging Pearl with her elbow. "Trust me, you're gonna need the strong sword arm!"

"Amethyst!" Pearl called as the Gem in question began cackling.

Rolling her eyes with a smile, Connie turned back to Steven and Peridot. They stood side by side, the sheer difference in their height still flooring Connie. Yet, despite their distance, they were still hand in hand, linked together.

"Thank you, for talking to me," Peridot said first, her eyes trailing to the floor. "I never realized how much I would enjoy telling you… everything."

"Anytime," Connie reassured. Peridot's head rose, a smile blessing her face as she nodded.

Then, all at once, Steven fell to one knee, bringing his eyes level to Connie. Disconnecting from Peridot, he extended his arms out, speaking to Connie without a word. In an instant, she understood what he meant.

Bring it here.

Throwing her arms around Steven, Connie squeezed him tight with a hug. After a moment, they pulled apart, though they stayed in each other's arms.

"I love you, Connie," he said, sniffling as he held back a tear. Connie pulled him in for another embrace.

"I love you too, Steven." With one last squeeze, the two separated, Connie rising to her feet as Steven rested his arm on his knee. Looking to the portal one last time, Connie grinned. "See you around, jam bud."

Connie sprinted, leaping into the portal with a single bound. Her body disappeared into the mass of light, which began to vibrate with a gentle rhythm. Then, with a silent click it disappeared.

Quiet took the room, as Steven rose to full height. He breathed a sigh of relief.

After taking a moment to make sure the universe wasn't collapsing in on itself, Peridot turned to Pearl. Marching forward, she approached the tall Gem.

"Me and Steven have been married for twelve years. Why did you say ten?" she asked, crossing her arms. Pearl laughed, a hand going to her chest.

"Oh, I thought it'd be fun to say when she and I got married, without spoiling that for her," Pearl answered, a smile curling up her lips as she glanced towards the front door.

"Yooo, Pea's making jokes now?" Amethyst called, approaching the two. "Peri, the universe might be ending after all."

"Hah," Peridot laughed, putting her hands on her hips. "You think that was funny? I managed to convince her that me and Steven eloped!"

"You did not." Steven joined the group, leaning over Peridot and wrapping his arms over her shoulder. "Why the heck did you do that?"

"She was our wedding planner!" Peridot defended. "I wasn't going to let her cheat by looking at what her future self already did!"

Steven burst into laughter, burying his face in her hair as he did so. Just then, however, the front door cracked open. Heads turned at the sound.

"Hey guys! Sorry I'm late, got caught up—" Connie, this one adult and fully grown, stood in the doorway. Her skin was coated in a sprinkling of faded scars, and her hair was held in a bun. She stared at the group, who stood silent in the middle of the living room. "What are you guys do—"

She froze.

"Oh stars, that was today, wasn't it?

Connie slammed into a wall of sand, sediment going up her nose with the crash. She pulled her head out, spitting and sputtering as she got her bearings through the disorientation. As her bearings got to her, however, she leapt into action.

"The beach," she whispered, realizing she was back in the crater of sand. Looking behind her, Connie breathed a sigh of relief as she saw the portal that had taken her to the future gone. Now that just left one thing. "Steven!"

Connie climbed up the crater of sand in leaps and bounds, pulling herself to the edge in a moment. As soon as she stood straight, a sound filled her ears.

"CONNIE!" Steven and Peridot called in unison, tackling the girl and pulling her away from the hole in the beach. Steven pressed Connie into his chest, sobbing without an inch of restraint as he squeezed her tight.

"C-Connie!" he screamed.

"Steven!" Connie called, patting the boy's back in comfort. Squeezing even tighter, Steven began to blow the air from her lungs. "S-Steven?!"

"I thought you died!" he sobbed.

"We thought you died!" Peridot repeated, speaking up for the first time.

"Are you okay?!"

"What happened to you?!" Peridot pulled away, as Steven continued to hold onto Connie for dear life. "Where did you go?!"

"C-Can't, breathe!" Connie's skin began to grow blue before Steven finally let her go. Taking a deep breath, Connie panted for a moment before speaking. "I'm— fine."

She gave the two a weak smile, both of her hands resting on their shoulders. Cupping Steven's cheek, she laughed.

"I'm fine, Steven. A bit dizzy, but fine," she reassured. And as she said that, Steven's face lit up. Through the tears that trailed down his face, Steven's lips curled into a smile that beamed out: True, unrelenting joy. Connie held back a laugh, as she caught Peridot staring at him.

When Peridot realized Connie was looking at her, however, she winced under hrt gaze. Her eyes clenched close.

"Peridot."

Connie cupped Peridot's cheek as well, making her eyes tremble open.

"Are… Are you angry with me?" she asked, her voice shaking at the touch. Connie shook her head. At that, Peridot's lips went flat. "What happened to you, in there?"

"Your machine, it worked! A little too well, actually," Connie said, glancing up. Peridot's eyes went wide as Steven raised a brow.

"You— You went to the future?!" Peridot shrieked, to which Connie nodded.

"What did you see?" Steven asked, pulling at the two's attention. Connie smirked.

"Sorry. Spoilers."

The End