Streaks of color and the sound of loud, upbeat music pulsed around them. Steven's birthday was in full swing at the old barn tonight.

The team had been working tirelessly at building and perfecting the Cluster Drill. And it had been unanimously decided that not only did Steven's birthday needed celebrating, but that they all deserved a break in general.

It seemed even Peridot wasn't so uptight tonight. This fact being apparent to everyone as she attempted to learn dancing properly.

Pearl and Amethyst had surprisingly grown closer as of late. Their bickering becoming far more friendly than not, and they were currently dancing happily together in a far corner.

Greg was playing dj and watching with a nostalgic smile as Steven and Connie twirled together in the center of the room. Content with his role in the celebration and in being able to let the memories sweep in as he continued to watch the two.

Everyone was having a wonderful time, the only one not involved at the moment being Garnet.

She watched everyone having fun. Leaning herself against a wall where the shadows were casted a little darker and sighed quietly. She was deep in thought it seemed.

As the party progressed she finally made her move.

She went to Greg and gently gripped his shoulder, gesturing to the microphone with a small smile.

Greg nodded, and confusedly handed the piece over, flicking a switch and cutting the music for the moment as Garnet took it from him gratefully.

"Everyone." Garnet began, once their attention was on her behind the music table.

"I would like to do something special tonight. Not only for the sake of Steven's birthday, but for all of us as well."

She cleared her throat and met the curious eyes of her teammates as she did so. Unused to talking this long for a casual reason.

"Lately, we've been dealing with a lot of change." She locked eyes with Peridot, who squirmed a little under her gaze. "Friends have sprung from unlikely places." She watched as Peridot gave a small, awkward smirk. A mixture of gratitude at the praise and embarrassment at the acknowledgement painting her face with a green blush.

Garnet's gaze moved to Pearl and Amethyst, who were also staring at her with piqued interest.

"Friendships have healed." She said simply, satisfied when her two friends looked at one another with fond smiles, linking hands in between themselves.

Her face turned slightly towards Steven and Connie, who were still front and center. Looking at her with wide curious eyes.

"And strong friendships already existing have grown into something new and wonderful. As I'm certain they will continue to do no matter what." She said with a wide grin, watching as their small hands linked in between them as well. Both of them nodding happily at her.

"But I myself have not had much difference. Though I have learned to be more understanding and welcoming to these new people and changes… I still find little change in myself. That is why, tonight, I wish to do something. Something for the team. Something for Steven. And….." She drew out the last part, summoning her courage as she let out a quick breath, readying herself.

She was enveloped in a white light as she murmured into the microphone, the words echoing impressively by aid of the device, and further amplified simply by the power in her voice.

"And something for myself."

When the light faded Ruby and Sapphire stood in place of where Garnet had once been.

They were slightly hidden behind the music table, so they both walked towards the front of it, showing what Garnet had chosen, what they had chosen, to the rest of the group.

Pearl clapped a hand to her mouth, a wide but unsure smile behind her fingers as she observed the sudden change.

Amethyst let out a loud cry of happiness and started jumping from foot to foot in place, clearly pleased with the reunion.

Peridot stiffened, looking at the two with unsure eyes as she reeled back slightly, having never seen Garnet apart before. Nonetheless she too gave a polite smile, attempting to be more open as she was now a part of the Crystal Gems herself.

Steven and Connie were perhaps the most excited, running up to the pair and slightly pushing a shocked Greg to the side as they swamped the two.

"Ruby! Sapphire!" Steven shouted happily. Hugging them both in his arms tightly, smiling wide.

"It's nice to meet you two!" Connie said excitedly. Hiding her own smile politely as she shook each of their hands quickly. Truly glad to finally meet the separate counterparts of the impressive fusion.

"Steven, it's wonderful to see you too." Sapphire said calmly, a warm smile on her features as she looked at Ruby through her bangs.

Ruby herself was more uncertain than Sapphire in splitting Garnet. She hated being unfused. Her only comfort being next to Sapphire at the very least. She glanced uneasily around the room, making sure there were no threats that could befall her precious Sapphire before relaxing herself.

She offered Steven a sheepish smile and ruffled his hair, a gruff but affectionate "Yeah, great to see you kid" leaving her lips as she did.

Once everyone became more comfortable with Garnet's temporary split the party was back on, easily slipping back to its full swing.

Greg flipped through a few disks. Picking one with a heavy bass beat and a lot of electronic tones in the background to play as he dimmed the lights. Tapping a few buttons he turned on some strobe lights, filling the barn with their bright colors as they pulsed and flashed in time with the music.

Everyone began dancing again. Even Peridot as she became relaxed once more. Grinning triumphantly as she got the hang of a few dance moves on her own before joining with Amethyst and Pearl in their little corner.

Steven and Connie were jumping up and down together, hands clasped tightly and laughter covered slightly by the volume of the music as they bounced around excitedly.

Sapphire looked around beneath her bangs, contented with the reception they had received and enjoying watching the room's energy return.

Ruby however, paced next to her, a little on edge from being split. She had agreed to it of course, but she was far clingier than she liked letting on. Sapphire could often be the same, and of course was just as fiercely protective, if not more, of Ruby. The only seeable difference between the pair being that Sapphire was very quiet about her feelings and hard to read, while Ruby was an open book. Her displeasure at not being Garnet clearly getting to her as she singed the floor lightly with her building emotions and her constant pacing.

"Ok Sapphire, we unfused, great break, really. Can we be Garnet now?" Ruby pleaded, finally stopping her pacing and getting Sapphire to look at her for a moment.

"No." Sapphire said simply, turning back towards the crowd and going silent once more.

"Gah! Why not?" Ruby whined, the floor smoking beneath her a little as she stomped her foot down pouting at her azure girlfriend.

"Because I want to do this, you did too you know." Sapphire murmured calmly to her, her voice almost drowned out by the music if it wasn't that Ruby hung off of her every word.

"I know I did, but now we did it, right? So we can be together again now can't we?" Ruby cried, throwing her hands up in the air exasperated. "It's been forever!"

"Ruby." Sapphire sighed, shaking her head lightly. "It's only been five minutes."

Ruby let out another cry of anger, pacing once more back and forth, the floor sparking underneath every tiny footfall.

"I want to be Garnet again!" She pleaded once more, looking at her love with big eyes. Sapphire looked back at her, an indifferent frown on her face.

"Ruby….." Sapphire sighed, turning towards the red gem next to her, gently reaching out to cup her face.

Steam puffed out around them as her icy hands made contact with Ruby's skin, the temperature difference enough to scare most but not them.

Ruby moaned contentedly, nuzzling into the cold touch as it chilled her overheated face, and Sapphire let out her own little hum of approval as her normally arctic hands were warmed ever so slightly.

"Ruby?" She began again, voice slightly more firm as she tipped Ruby's gaze up to her own bang hidden one. Easily commanding her attention over the music with her imploring tone.

"S-Sapphire?" The red gem inquired, focus sharpened immediately as she stared at her, wishing to just see-

Her subconscious wish was granted. Either by Sapphire seeing it happen in the future or just knowing her lover so well she wasn't sure, but she didn't question it. Ruby was just grateful as Sapphire reached to brush her bangs quickly aside. Her large, deep blue eye locked with Ruby's two fiery red ones. The stare instantly capturing the flustered gem in its gaze as she blushed a deep red.

"Do you want to dance with me?" Sapphire asked, fighting back fusing right then and there as she watched Ruby's face grow a darker red than before. If the stoic gem had to admit it then sure, not being Garnet was torture for her as well. But she loved seeing Ruby again like this, and she didn't need future vision to know that her companion felt the same.

Ruby gave a small nod, still lost in Sapphire's eye as she blushed hotly, her hands reaching up to grip the one hand still on her face in an affirmative gesture.

"Of course I do." She said quietly, voice a mere whisper as she allowed herself to be gently tugged to the dance floor by her gently smiling lover.

They danced together to every song. Never once parting as they swayed together in perfect tandem, not once missing a beat as they moved.

Eventually the music took a different turn, the heavy dance beat of before being replaced with a softer tune as the party began to wrap up.

"It's the last song." Sapphire said quietly, bringing Ruby to a halt as they heard it begin.

"Did you see it happen already?" Ruby asked, turning towards her dance partner with a curious frown.

"No, I just listened to Greg say it was the last song of the night. If you had noticed, Steven and Connie are already tuckered out." Sapphire replied, pointing with a small finger over at the children, safely asleep tucked in Lion's bushy mane as they all laid in a pile together against a far wall.

"O-Oh." Ruby stammered, face heating with her embarrassment. "I guess I didn't notice."

Sapphire gave a light chuckle, smirking slightly at Ruby. "I'm not surprised, your attention hasn't left me since we unfused."

Ruby's blush darkened further as she pouted, not making eye contact and crossing her arms defensively. The cute reaction prompted Sapphire to laugh a bit more before she took Ruby's hand in her own, starting a slow sway with her lover as she smiled.

"Ruby." She crooned sweetly. Turning her face towards hers gently with a hand as she shook her bangs from her eye once more, looking deeply into Ruby's.

"Y-yes?" Ruby whispered, stumbling over her words as her indignation was forgotten, lost in her lover's stare.

"Thank you for tonight. You know I love seeing you again, like this I mean." She cooed, leaning close and resting her cool forehead against Ruby's hot one.

"N-no problem." Ruby replied quickly, forgetting how much she ached to be Garnet again as she got wrapped up in Sapphire's ever captivating presence.

"But…." Sapphire drew out, pulling back from the red gem slightly, though she kept their hands linked tightly in between them.

"B-But?" Ruby implored, expression flashing quickly from content to worried as she waited for Sapphire to speak again.

"There is one thing I want to do right now. Something special."

"For the team?" The fiery gem asked, looking around and at the rest of the people in the room, confused as she saw that they were dancing slowly together still. Changing partners in between themselves in a friendly manor as they did. Enjoying the last song despite its romantic undertones.

"Try again." Sapphire said sweetly, leaning in a bit closer once more as she continued to look at the oblivious Ruby. Her focus still distracted with searching the room for her answer.

"For… Steven?" She asked uncertainly, looking at his and Connie's sleeping forms, still nuzzled comfortably in Lion's mane.

"No, not for him either. This time." She said simply, amused by her lover's frustration.

"Then who?" She finally begged, turning towards Sapphire just as she leant in to kiss her.

A bright light encased them once more as their forms instantly melded together. Garnet's formation being something easy to do without any other ritual at this point.

Garnet came into being once more just as the song finished. Standing in the middle of the room smiling happily to herself as she looked at her gemmed palms, glad to be back.

"For us. For me." She said giddily, all three eyes scrunched with happiness behind her visor.