Don't own SU.

Nightmares

The dreams were scary. The storm was loud.

It was just one of those days.

"Peeeaaarrrlll," I whispered, tapping lightly on the door. "Gaaarrnettt? Ameeethyst?"

I waited for a moment.

"Guys?"

No answer.

Lightning flashed through the windows, illuminating the room. A load crash of thunder soon followed after it.

"Peeeearrrl!" I called more urgently. The visions of swords gleaming with red were beginning to come back. "Garnet! Amethyyysst!" I knocked louder. "You guuuys!"

The rain was coming down harder. Outside, the howling of the wind was screaming, bringing back the cries of pain, shrieks of fear, yells of…

"Steven?"

I squeaked, stumbling to my feet and turning to face a soaking wet Pearl.

"Oh…um…hi Pearl!" I waved, smiling sheepishly while mentally throwing out my original plan.

She cocked her head to the side. "Steven, what are you doing out of bed? It's way past midnight."

"Ummm…well…what were YOU doing outside?"

"Don't change the subject young man," she scowled. Closing her eyes, she took in a deep breath and released it, dissipating the water around her. "Now," opening her eyes, "what's going on Steven? Her gaze softened for a moment. "Is everything alright?"

"Oh, um, y-ya! Everything's juuuust…peachy."

She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "Peachy?"

"Yup! Peachy!" I shuffled nervously. It was easy to see that she wasn't buying it.

"Steven," she glanced at my shuffling feet, "you're shuffling." She looked back up at me. "Why are you nervous?"

"I-I'm not! Really Pearl! I'm already six years old! I was just…getting…a…SNACK! Ya, I was getting a snack!"

"The refrigerator isn't anywhere near the Temple door Steven."

"I got lost."

"...Steven."

"It was really dark…"

"Steven."

"…and I was still really tired…"

"Steven."

"…and then that's when I decided -"

"Steven. ENOUGH."

Her voice rang throughout the room like steel. And it was there again. The voices. Voices that were demanding, commanding, speaking incomprehensible words, ringing through my head. I fell to my knees, covering my ears with the palm of my hands.

"Go away!" I yelled. "Just…leave already! I don't care!"

My brain ignored the words that I spoke. Instead, I was in my dream again. A grinning face, sharp pointed teeth, white flowing hair, gold gleaming eyes.

I was holding something. No, I was holding two things. A sword…and a shield.

The monster lady was also holding a sword. She raised it, smiling wickedly. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't move…I couldn't do anything!

There was a flash of movement in from of me.

"No," I felt myself say. "Leave Pearl!"

Pearl! But…what was she doing here? In my dream? And she looks different. More...dirtier.

"I'm not leaving Rose!" she yelled.

I could see her legs shaking. Is she scared? She should move. She doesn't have a shield like me. And the monsters sword…it's being raised again.

"Leave Pearl!" I yelled again.

This time, the real me was yelling it too. I wanted to push Pearl out of the way. The bad lady was laughing. I could feel myself crying. I still couldn't move.

"Pearl!"

It came down fast. Pearl tried to block it. It pushed her to the ground. She looked up into my eyes before the blade was stabbed into her back.

I jerked awake, panting hard.

"Pearl! No Pearl!" I tried sitting up, but found a hand pushing me down. I began panicking, struggling against the force that was holding me down.

"Relax Stevan. "

I stopped moving at the sound of her voice.

"Pearl?" I looked up, wiping away the blurring tears. "You're alright!"

Her eyes darted around confused before refocusing back on me. "Yeeesss…"

I looked around. We were sitting on my bed. I began to blush as I realized I was sitting in her lap.

"Peeeaarrl," I crossed my arms, "I'm a big boy, remember? You didn't need to sit with me…"

"Oh," her grip on me loosened. "Well I can leave if you wa-"

"NO!" The vision of her falling to the ground came back to me. "Nononono!" I wrapped my arms around her waist and curled into her lap. "Don't leave Pearl! Don't ever leave me!"

"Whoa there Steven!" her voice was lighthearted. "I'm not going anywhere!"

"B-but," I grabbed tightly at her shirt and I looked up. "You did! You did leave me! You got hurt Pearl! You got stabbed by some monster! I saw it!"

"You…saw it?" she gasped. She raised a hand to her mouth and looked away. "But…that's impossible. Rose assured us that…"she glanced back at me with wide eyes.

"Pearl?" My voice was quiet.

"Steven…it…it's…" she closed her eyes and inhaled. A moment went by before she exhaled and smiled. "Steven," she opened her eyes, "it was just a dream."

"B-but...you…"

"No butt's young man. Sleep. Now."

"Peeaarrrlll!"

"Hush," she shushed, putting a finger to my lips. "It wasn't real Steven," she murmured. There was a sad smile lining the edge of her lips.

She was lying.

I sighed, grabbing her hand from my head and hugging it close. I closed my eyes tightly and did my best to fall asleep. Minutes of silence went by. My brain was racing with thoughts. Thoughts that didn't make any sense. Thoughts that ranged from bad monsters to giant man-eating waffles. Thoughts…that all seemed to include Pearl.

"Pearl?"

"Shouldn't I be hearing snores?"

"Pearl…I'm scared."

I felt her breath hitch. "Do…would you like to tell me why?"

"…no."

"Steven," she sighed. "Steven, Steven, Steven. The nightmares won't get better if you don't voice out your thoughts."

I looked up in surprise. "Nightmares?"

"Bad dreams," she clarified with a nod.

"Ohhh…so, if I tell you what they're about…they'll go away?"

"…most probably."

"Oh. Well…um… they're usually about you and Garnet and Amethyst and other people fighting."

"Mmm-hm."

"And…ya…they're usually really scary."

"Is that why you were at the Temple door?" Her voice was unexpectedly soft. "You had another one of these dreams?"

I felt my face flush at the unexpected question and looked down. "Maaaybe…"

Taking her free hand, she used a finger to bring my chin up, forcing me to meet her soft gaze. "Is it because you were scared?"

I tried looking down again, but her finger wouldn't let me.

"Is it Steven?" she urged.

I sighed, avoiding her eyes. "Yes."

"So…why didn't you just tell us before? Or tell me when I found you there?"

"…because."

"Steven!"

"Because I didn't want to Pearl! I was scared! I just...I…I…Iheardthatifyousayoutyourbaddreamtootherpeoplethenitmightcometrue!" (A/U: Translation- I heard that if you say out your bad dream to other people then it might come true!)

She was silent, slipping her finger out from under my chin. I looked down and cuddled back onto her chest.

"Well…" she finally spoke, "…were all still here…right?"

"…ya," I answered, my voice muffled into her shirt.

"And there's no war going on…right?"

"R-right."

"So then you've got nothing to be afraid of. Right?"

I took in her words slowly. Perhaps she was right?

"I…guess so…"

"Good. So…are you still scared?"

I thought about it for a second. "Sort of… not really I guess…"

"Excellent. Now, sleep. It's almost morning."

I glanced outside and spotted the small rays of sunshine beginning to make their way into the room.

"Oh…um, okay." My heart skipped a beat when I felt her beginning to shuffle me off her lap. In panic, I grabbed onto her arm, causing her to stop in her movement.

"Yes Steven?"

"Can…can you stay with me?"

"Of course," she whispered almost immediately, shuffling back to her regular position and hugging me close to her chest.

I giggled and attempted to get out of her death grip. "I can't breathe Pearl! Leg'go!"

"Improper grammar Steven. I believe you meant, 'let go'," she smiled before loosening her grip and giving me a noogie.

"Ha ha! Peeaarrl! You're…" I was interrupted by a deep yawn, "…you're messing up my… "another yawn, "…hair." I snuggled my head into her shirt, relishing the soft rise and fall of her chest.

"Goodnight Steven," she chuckled quietly.

"G'night," I yawned again. "Pearl, you'll stay with me forever…right?"

She was silent for a moment before leaning and grabbing the blanket, draping it over the both of us. I hummed happily at the added warmth.

"Right."

Fav and review fo me.

._.