AN- Me: Random One Shot inspired by my latest binge of catching up on this wonderus show.

Muse Kitty: Meow

Me: Ah yes! We apologise for any OOCness and mistakes made. This was literally written so I could let the idea rest and work on my multi chaptered fics. I might expand it one day though, who knows? But for now it's probably a confusing incomplete mess. I know, and I acknowledge it. I hope some people can enjoy it anyways.

Disclaimer- I don't own Steven Universe

And it was her son standing in front of her, his black hair waving in the wind. Rose raised her hands to her lips, and Steven waved at her, a sheepish smile on his face. "Hey mom," he said, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"But how-?" she asked.

"Ummm, not entirely sure," he admitted, "But the closest I can guess is that we're both somehow contained in the Rose Quartz Gem, you more than me since I'm only half gem. That means when we go poof! You're the one most likely to come out in high stress situations, but I'm still here so when it's calm we can choose who appears." He crossed his arms and tilted his head, "Or maybe it's that we switch back and forth?" He made a frustrated sound, tearing at his hair. "I don't know! I need more information first!"

Rose stared at the man in front of her, still too stunned to say anything else. She took a step forward, and he froze.

"Um, mom?" he asked nervously, and she rushed the rest of the way forward, gathering him up into her arms, and soon both of them were laughing. She couldn't believe that this man, this sheepish, so smart, beautiful man in front of her was the son that everyone had been telling her about. Lapis's saviour, Peridot's best friend, Jasper's leader, Garnet's and Pearl's son, Amethyst's brother. The rest of the Crystal Gem's general, who had saved them from corruption, and beaten Homeworld without shattering a gem. The boy who had stopped the cluster and had the strength to tell his friends the truth about Bismuth.

Who had learned the truth about Pink Diamond, and had changed Blue Diamonds way of thinking. Who had beaten Yellow Diamond and reasoned with White Diamond. The saviour who had found a way for gems and humans to coexist without destroying each other.

The Rose Quartz that had been better than her in almost everyway, but who had spent his life trying to live up to her legacy.

Rose set him down, and her face became serious. Steven seemed to recognize the shift, and sobered as well waiting for her to speak.

"They need you Steven," Rose said quietly. "They need you."

He straightened, rolling up his sleeves, ready to do whatever he could. He nodded, "What happened?"

"We were in a fight…" Rose quickly described the situation about Bismuth, and felt something sink in her heart. Steven smiled sadly at her, stepping away.

"Who they need is you," he said softly.

"What?" she protested. "They're falling apart without you Steven!"

"But the situation between you and Bismuth needs to be resolved before they can keep me," Steven said softly. "I'll come back as soon as you two talk."

Rose stared back at him sadly, and he took another step back before walking away from her altogether disappearing to where ever he stayed in the gem normally, leaving her alone in the grassy field that looked just like Lion's mane.

She took a deep breath and slowly pulled herself together.

"Oh thank goodness!" Pearl cried as they all watched the Quartz gem glow as slowly form into a large woman. Peridot saw Lapis frown out of the corner of her eye, and she wondered if she was the only one who saw Steven's outline in the glow for half a second, or if it was just wishful thinking on her part.

"Peace and love on the planet earth," she sang softly, repeating the words she shad said when she had found Steven's gem, "I know something that's worth more than peace and love on the planet earth."

Rose Quartz landed lightly on the ground, something different about her eyes than when her physical form had been disrupted. Peridot heard Garnet muttered something and couldn't quite make out the words, but the fusion sounded disappointed about whatever it was.

"We thought we had lost you!" Pearl told Rose, and Peridot wondered if the first Crystal Gem leader could hear the silent too in that sentence. Pearl had seemed much more delicate lately, losing Rose, getting over it, losing Steven only to get Rose back in the process. Peridot wondered at the fact that the other gem hadn't snapped already.

Jasper scoffed from her spot leaning against a rock, and Peridot was inclined to agree with quartz. Rose was nice, but she prefered Steven.

"We need to plan on what to do next," Garnet said in her smooth way, turning so she could look at all of them. They were still on the beach that Rose had lost her fight on, and the wind ruffle all of their hair as it blew by.

"Yeah!" Amethyst shouted, slamming one fist into her other palm. "How are we gonna take Bismuth out?"

"Clod," Peridot scoffed out of habit, "That's not what she meant."

And it hurt that Steven wasn't there to add on to their banter like he normally would. It had only been a few brief months since he had died, and Peridot just couldn't get over it.

"Shorty squad out!"

She shook off the memories of happier times to focus on the situation once more. Garnet had the air of someone waiting for something as Pearl turned to Rose again

"What do you think Rose?"

"I talked to Steven," was what Rose replied, and silence fell on their group like a hammer. Peridot felt like someone had shattered her gem, and she grit her teeth waiting for the punchline. The look on Rose's told them that those words weren't what she had meant to say, which made the bombshell even worse in a way. She hadn't planned on telling them anything about it in the first place.

"What?" Lapis whispered at the same time Pearl gave an awkward laugh, "That's not- not a very good joke Rose."

"It sucks," Amethyst cut in. Pearl sent her a glare before turning back to Rose.

"I mean, we all miss Steven and it would have been wonderful for the two of you to meet, but-" Peridot felt like the world was tunneling around her, and she wasn't sure if she was hearing everything correctly, but her mind was pulling things together and coming to conclusions that she wasn't sure Pearl even wanted to think about. Steven had been something brand new after all, they still didn't know what his limits were even after centuries.

"So wouldn't that mean that he's still in there?" Peridot heard herself say, and she wasn't sure what she was feeling right then, but she did know exactly what she wanted to say after that, "So he could reform if you didn't?"

Silence again, and Peridot felt a weird sort of pride at being the one to cause it. She kept her eyes glued onto Rose Quartz, and watched the myriad of emotions cross the gem's face.

"Wow P," Amethyst started, "Dark much-?"

"You knew!" Lapis shouted at Rose, cutting Amethyst off, and Rose flinched, opening her mouth to say something. "I don't want to hear your excuses! Steven told me all about what you said about Bismuth the first time." A logical conclusion, Peridot agreed. Rose Quartz had proven herself untrustworthy from what they had heard of her. The Crystal Gems protested that statement, but Lapis steamrolled over them.

"Did you think our grief was a joke or something?" Lapis hissed at her, "Or maybe something that could be worn away in your presence? The great Rose Quartz, surely she's better than some half-gem right?" A harsh laugh tore it's way out of the blue gem's mouth. "Or maybe you just get a kick out of trapping people in objects, stripping them of their freedom?"

"Lapis," Garnet tried, but Lapis shook her head at the fusion.

"No!" Lapis shouted, "She knew! She knows exactly how much we miss him!" She whirled on Rose, "You knew and you did it anyways." Her body shook with anger, and a glance to the left showed that the water of the ocean was starting to churn in response. Lapis flung her arm out, a familiar gesture, one that normally have Peridot step forward to try and calm her barnmate down. But Peridot knew that it wasn't for her this time.

It was Jasper.

The orange quartz took Lapis's hand and said simply, "You shatter our Diamond once Rose, I won't let you take another from me."

Jasper dipped Lapis, and her face broke out in a wild grin as she looked back up at Rose, and light engulfed them. The familiar shape of Malachite rose from it, her arms spreading out in the sand.

"For all your mistakes," the deep voice rumbled, before breaking out in laughter, "We must thank you for telling us how to get him back."

"Now wait a-" Pearl protested, and the same time Amethyst yelled, "Malachite!"

They drew their weapons, and Peridot yanked her hand in an upward motion, pulling on the natural metals in the area. The metal shot from the ground, wrapping around her two friends.

"Not cool Peri!" Amethyst yelled, but Peridot was turning to deal with Garnet, who was already charging forward. Familiar motions brought the stasis field from her technical enhancers back up and the fusion froze in her spot. The Crystal Gems were compromised on this issue, having past experience with Rose Quartz. So Peridot, and the other ex-Homeworld Gems would simply have to be the ones to take care of it.

She turned to Malachite, and in a tone of voice she hadn't used since she had been working for Yellow Diamond, said calmly and smoothly, "Be sure to watch the gem. Injuring Steven would be counterproductive."

Malachite laughed again, two of her arms raising to control the water at the same time Rose summoned her shield.

"For Our Diamond," Peridot whispered to herself as the two titans prepared to clash.