*QUICK DISCLAIMER*

Below is a recap of the series to set things straight, if you want to hop right into the story, I suggest you skip the bolded text*

Y'know, reading through the story again to get a feel for my old vision of where this was supposed to go, I realized I had unknowingly stuck myself with a lot of loose ends to tie up and the suffering of having to read very convoluted things. I'm going to do a quick recap of the story, just so you know where my mind was and we can move onto the chapter.

Steven shows enough potential and ignorance for Onyx-Agate, a very powerful gem, to show any signs of interest in him. After tainting his gem to weaken him and have a temporary hold over his thoughts and dreams, she sends him a message saying that his friends would hate him, but she'd be waiting with open arms. She lifts the weakening that was cast on him so that the story could continue suit(Very well written, I know) And the tainted portion of the gem is gone, and has now awoken the Feral ability. Are you still with me?

Good. After a fight with some bird thing, the gems' reaction to this very nonchalant reveal of this new found strength leave Steven fearful of how they'll treat him. Later that night, using hallucination gas, Onyx fakes a scene where the gems hunt him down in cold blood. He runs away, leaving the gems trapped in a house filled with the hallucination gas which makes them believe that Steven is still with them, Oooo, how convoluted.

Steven meets up with Onyx, her gem is cracked because she used her Touch of Death ability and cracked it and so Steven heals her. Training Begins. Connie makes her way to the gem house to hang out with Steven, falling for the hallucination gas, but figuring out that it isn't really Steven. After a really poorly written horror scene, she wakes up in her room and for whatever reason, decides not to go back there. Later on, after a time jump, Onyx decides Connie would be a useful asset, so she erases the memory of the attack by Steven and replaces it with a memory of Steven leaving instead. Now, with that out of the way, she sends Steven over to fetch her, and now we're right where we are in the story.

As great as that all is, and as ingenious as you might think it to be, I can see how, without a recap, it would be verrrry confusing, cause reading it, I realized any canon I had set was very quickly forgotten and since I don't really proof read my drafts, I'd put them out without thinking, and anything I needed to change because I suddenly had a new idea, I just had Onyx erase it with her good ol' plot changing gas.

Now that we're on the same page, know that some canon will be lost because of changes I want to make because the original series has gotten me to the point that I just want to redo the whole thing, but I really just want to finish this up. Have fun reading this chapter, I'll try and make it interesting for you. :)

Chapter 20: Moments For Them

The morning had continued like an entry out of a thirteen year old girl's journal where she laments about what she wants in life. Everything in the house that day had been seen through pink lenses for Connie and Steven. The unspoken feelings they had was very palpable and clear to the other to the point that no words needed to be said.

As the sun went down, they retreated to Connie's room. Her parents would be home soon, and for them to find out that Steven, or any boy for that matter, had spent the day with her alone in the house wearing her pajamas would spell trouble for her. As much as she didn't mind defying her parents once or twice here and there, she was wise enough to know that spending the rest of her life under lock-down and surveillance was not an ideal lifestyle.

Upon entering the room, the door had been very much thrown shut, and had been thoroughly locked to ward off any surprise visitors. Sure enough, as they laid in the bed together watching the small television at the end of the bed, they heard the door downstairs open and close followed by the sound of keys being tossed down into the key bowl. Very soon after, another door opening and shutting signaled the arrival of the second parent.

The t.v was not the least bit interesting right now for them, and they both agreed that laying and listening to the sounds of the household was much more entertaining for the both of them. They were laying parallel to each other, Steven on the side of the bed closest to the window, and Connie on the other side. They were just looking into each others eyes, admiring the depth in the blackness of their pupils.

As the sun finally dropped below the horizon, signaling for the moon to come out and play, the voices below them began to grow more and more impatient with each other. Both raising in volume and losing any mature attitude either might have tried presenting. Steven could swear that the room had gotten hotter from the heated fight down below. Whether or not he was simply imagining it or not, He definitely felt awkward by the way that Connie seemed to stare at him apologetically.

"Is it often like this?" Steven asked softly, the reason being that he wanted to sound sincere, but also he didn't want to risk being heard. Although, that wasn't much of a realistic problem given how loud the antics were downstairs.

"Yeah, almost every night," Connie replied, adding a nod to further her claim. "They just have so many problems and have no idea how to work together to fix them." Connie's mother was a very independent woman, fancying herself as a leader and as the pants of the house. Often trying to take on the problems of the house herself to demonstrate this authority, she left her husband feeling like the lesser of the two, his pride setting him on a path of trying to take control of everything and be the man of the house. When personalities like this collided, it was never pretty. Never.

Steven put an apologetic hand on his troubled friend's cheek, assuring with a smile that he understood and wanted to help make her feel better. The simple touch was enough for Connie to move closer and cry gently into his chest. He wrapped an arm around his friend and let her get it out, keeping her close to his heart hoping that the rhythmic beating would be enough to calm her once she felt she was done.

Steven hated to assume situations he had never truly been apart of long enough to understand the status quo, but from what he could see it was very obvious that this was a loveless house. The parents didn't love each other and had no time to love Connie or even to just validate her. A house like that can be stressful and bothersome on a girl who had no one to turn to.

With guilty tears forming in his eyes, he gently planted a small kiss on the girl's forehead, a sign of affection that had been given to him many times before and had seemed to help him in times like these. The silent crying had subsided within minutes and was followed by the nuzzling of Connie into Steven's neck. The comfort he had been able to bring her had made any bad feelings she had in his absence melt away. Being with him made her feel like she had her very own impenetrable shield that no negativity could break through.

With individual thoughts on each of the teens' minds, a comfortable silence befell them, leaving them deaf to what was going on around them. Right now, in this moment, it was just the two of them and nothing else was important enough to worry about.

Steven wondered how he had been able to make it this far in life without his best companion. Sure, he had Onyx, and Erendus, and the distractions of daily training, but none of that could really fill the empty part of him he didn't realized he had until now. Now that it was full, he realized that how he had felt before without it was an incomplete version of himself.

"Run away with me." Steven had broken this fragile silence with the simple statement. It was very unexpected to him to say, for he had thought about it, but didn't think he'd blurt it out.

Connie had no response. She looked inquisitively up at him, inviting him to give a little more detail in this sudden plan.

All he could manage to do was repeat his statement, there was no more to say except to request that she come with him.

"Where would we go?" She asked, humoring the idea. She figured he had a location in mind seeing as he was still alive and well taken care of. She just wanted to hear a little more before she jumped into any decision.

Steven thought about if he should divulge the whole truth to her, which in itself sounded a little concerning and more like a draft to the war, or if he should make it seem like a smaller deal, more of a getaway where she could go anywhere else except here. Mission aside, Steven really didn't like these conditions for her.

"I have a hut in the woods. I met a gem and I'm training with her, helping her out with her current situation." Steven decided divulging the truth minus some minuscule parts was the best way to go about this. "I want you to come back with me." He returned his hand to her cheek, wiping away a tear which hadn't disappeared itself. He looked her directly in the eyes and made as much of an effort to show how genuine he was about his offer.

Connie had a lot on her brain at the moment. The cells in her skin had been shaking with excitement. All she had wanted lately was a change of pace, her life seemed too boring. It rested on a chart in a place even below an average life. Here she was, facing her reclaimed partner in crime who was offering her the chance to get away from this drawl lifestyle to go and meet a gem and possibly train to fight evil. The juxtaposition between her life now and what her life could be was very exciting.

Still, could she just up and leave? It was very hard thinking about how easy it would be to adjust to roughing it in the woods after being spoiled by the convenience of modern home appliances. On top of that, how were her parents just going to be okay with it? They hardly ever communicated anymore, but she doubted they wouldn't notice her absence.

"Connie?" Steven said softly, ripping the girl from her thoughts and placing her back in the present. "You don't have to make the decision now if you don't want to, you can sleep on it. I'm not going back for a bit." This seemed to take the edge off of her a little, but a new problem formulated. It was either Connie went and got to be around Steven and reconnect with him and fill the gaping void that had been vacated upon his leave, or stay behind and let him go again, and return to her average life and miss him all over.

"Why can't you just stay here with me?" She asked halfheartedly. It would have been a good solution to just have him stay with her. That way she could live her life in an average setting and keep Steven with her through it. They could go out, run around and go places like they once had been able to do in more care-free days, and all the while he could just stay with her in her room. It was a great plan in her mind, but that didn't stop Steven from getting a look of pitying denial on his face.

"It's just, I'm in the middle of something very big. I can't tell you too much about it, but I can't just abandon how far I've come in this. I would love to stay with you and just hide away and leave all my cares behind, but I can't do that." Much like her, he had things he just couldn't abandon. "I know I'm asking a lot of you, Connie," hearing him address her by her name in such a tone really accentuated the seriousness of the situation, "But I would really love for you to be apart of my life again, and my life is in the middle of something bigger than you and me. It would really help for you to be there so we can face this together and afterwards, go back to being able to do anything we want."

Connie nodded along, hearing her clownish, doofus of a friend talk so resolutely sent shivers over her skin and made her choices very clear. It was either A, or B. No C, D or all of the above, she simply could choose to either accept the offer or lose him all over again.

She nodded more firmly, looking into his eyes and reflecting his demeanor and treating the question with the utmost respect and seriousness he wanted her to give.

"Okay." She said firmly. "I want you back in my life, Steven, and if that means jumping aboard and being apart of this, whatever it is, then I'll gladly do it." She ended the statement with a smile, she was completely committed to this. The chance to live a much more interesting life again would never present itself to her quite as blatantly as it was right now and she recognized how stupid it would be to turn down the offer.

Steven's goofy smile spread over his face, and the mood immediately lightened as he pressed his forehead against hers affectionately and they partook in sharing a relieved giggle. The small amount of laughter had warmed their bodies from toe to head thoroughly, and as they settled once more in a cuddling embrace, they found that resting for the night was much easier with the air cleared up. The only disturbance anymore was the venom being thrown around downstairs, but it was nothing that couldn't be helped by the healing patch of light that the moon was providing them through the night.

One peaceful slumber later, the two were awoken by the tranquil sunlight and the chirping of the birds buzzing about. The storm yesterday showed no signs of ever being there and it seemed like today was ripe with opportunity. Steven didn't absolutely need to go back quite yet, so they had a few days to bond and rekindle more of their friendship than they had already awoken.

Today, they got to go out and do anything they felt like. Or, if they still felt like it, stay inside and do whatever they felt like. The world was their oyster.

Steven got out of bed to go use the bathroom, each step being reinforced by this newfound spring that had been placed in his attitude. With his mission complete, he now had free time to use any way he would like while he was back in town. While in the bathroom and after relieving himself, he had changed back into his training suit as he and Connie had agreed was for the best considering they were going out and although she enjoyed seeing him in her pj's, it just wasn't appropriate for a day on the town. Steven let them take the shape of some normal clothes, just a t-shirt and jeans, something simple to help him blend in a little better to the crowd. He washed his face really quick before walking back into the room.

He stepped out of the bathroom and was met by the sight of Connie standing with her back towards him, buttoning up a pair of pants she had no doubt just managed to slip on right before he got out. The only thing he could see that she was wearing was a white colored bra as indicated by the straps that wrapped around. The image sent a reminder in his head of a few nights prior when he had accidentally looked into the room at the most exposed of times and a blush started creeping over his face. No doubt, his friend was now a young woman.

Connie looked back and giggled, turning to face him head on. "It's creepy to stare you know," She said jokingly flirting with him. The deepening of his blush caused another chuckle to escape her lips before throwing on a shirt and covering herself.

"I didn't know you'd-" Steven had started an explanation but was silenced by a soft punch of the shoulder and a reassuring look on her face that told him she knew, and didn't care.

"C'mon, let's go," she said, taking his hand and leading him downstairs. The plan was to go get breakfast together, and then afterwards head to the beach which seemed to have an endless reach if it was able to have a grasp not only here, but all the way back to beach city.

Admittedly, there was not much else to do in this town. The touristy part had been the aforementioned city which sat a few miles down the road, leaving them with their options limited in terms of activity. Breakfast was a good start they figured, and since it was such a lovely day a swim would be appreciated.

The diner they arrived at was recognized by Steven as the diner with the suffocating aunts and the pretty waitress. He had come here before, but didn't actually try the food while he had the chance. From what Connie told him, the breakfast here was better than anywhere else, but anywhere could have been better to eat at for Steven than the jungle where he had frog on a stick all day every day.

They walked in and were very much immediately greeted by the aunts. Same shoulder length blonde hair, same perky attitudes, same bird-like cluster as they asked how many they needed a table for. They finally broke away with one of them to receive a table in the empty restaurant.

"Could I get you started with any drinks?" She asked enthusiastically, this one's name tag read Jen. They both requested a water and began looking at their menus.

"Anything look good to you?" Connie asked, seeking inspiration from Steven as she had no clue what to get herself. As if reading her mind, Steven replied saying Everything looked great which left her stuck still for an answer.

When Jen had returned with their water and asked if they were ready to order, Steven very happily announced that he was going to have the banana pancakes. Connie requested the same, and after a small wait, they were both brought their short stack which went very quickly devoured.

The sandwiches seemed like a small blip on Steven's radar compared to these fluffy delights. Savoring every bite was almost impossible due to the irresistible urge to scarf them all down immediately.

After paying the bill, they said goodbye to the four ladies behind the counter and left the establishment, content and full. Walking down the sidewalk, the two took notice of the warmth of the air, and the peaceful blue of the sky which was no doubt mirroring what would be a perfect ocean once they had arrived. In no rush, however, they strolled at a calm pace and took everything in.

Much like the house had been coated in this newfound monochromatic pink color in their world, the outside was now a masterpiece painted for them. Each second held a breathtaking moment to be treasured. Taking in the view as they walked, they each grabbed for each other's hands, intertwining their fingers, each telling the other that these moments passing by were for them and them only.

Onyx was back at the hut. She was currently in the middle of setting up a third sleeping quarter for Connie, of whom she was confident Steven would be able to bring back. Her days without Steven had been boring. Without him there, there was nothing more to do than wait for him to return with their claim.

She was sure that having Connie there would take time to get used to, and with the way Steven had droned on about her, she was sure that she would have only half of his attention with her there. Even so, she would make it work. Connie would make a great asset to the team.

Of course, she wasn't going to be trained with the same ferocity as Steven was currently being trained with considering that her weak human body wasn't going to be able to handle it, but she would still train her to be much stronger than she was now. Her intellect was already reaching a peak that showed great prowess, so that half would be easy.

Sitting down on the ground, Onyx reviewed her plan once more, reveling in how well it had been going. With the gems preoccupied back at the house with whatever things they thought were going on, and with two pawns like Steven and soon to be Connie, it was going better than she had initially hoped for.

A small frown befell her face. She didn't like describing Steven as a pawn. It didn't seem to fit him in her eyes, but the way he was set up in this idea of hers, that seemed to be the role he was playing. As it had passed though her head a million times before, it occurred to her once more that Steven and her were definitely going to have to duke it out. It couldn't end with both of them being alive. She didn't know when it would happen, or what events would take place to lead up to it, but she knew it would just have to happen.

Another thought struck her with worry. Despite how well her plan had been going, and despite how much she wanted to succeed, she couldn't help but hope that in the end, it was her that was defeated so that she could be spared having to put an end to Steven. The shiver that traveled up her spine had turned her skin to stone. Her love for this boy was becoming a bother, but then again, it was impossible to feel anything else for him. He had that way with people. It was a very dangerous skill, possibly his most deadly weapon. And she had fallen for the trap.

With a sigh, she rested her face in her hands.

"Damn this boy," she muttered. Damn this boy indeed.

There we have it. After a quick recap(Which you may or may not have paid any attention to) we're all up to date and ready to move forward. Please please PLEASE review, leave any thoughts or criticisms for me, I would love to hear any negatives or positives, it only helps me as a writer. See you all next time.