It was darkness; and then, light all at once. Blinding and penetrating, it seemed to fill every aspect of Them. Their desires, secrets, everything They had hidden within Themselves was wiped away, and They were laid bare in front of each other.

There was love, of course. But there was also anxiety. Fear. In a deep, despised corner, the remnant flames on old hatred refused to burn out entirely. It was a Picasso portrait of emotions, thoughts and feelings. Utterly beautiful, but terribly disjointed.

Noise from a different place, far away from this one, filtered through Their strange reality. Suddenly, it became clear: this place could not sustain itself. With inexorable force, it tore itself in twain, leaving Them naked and exposed in darkness. Slowly, They opened Their eyes.

"Steven… oh my goodness…" Peridot cried. She crawled over to him, and collapsed in his arms. The pair sat there, crying together, as the four other Gems looked on in shock.

"What happened?" Lapis asked.

"We need to give them some time alone," Garnet said.

"But-"

"Now," Garnet ordered. The four Gems marched out the way they came, Garnet shutting the door gently behind them.

Steven panted, desperately trying to catch his breath. Steven kept wiping hot tears out of his eyes. He was crying because Peridot was crying. Deep inside him, he knew they were still linked. That link was slowly deteriorating, but he could still feel her emotions. Peridot was totally overwhelmed. Despite her insistence on fusing, she had not accepted him completely. The result had been, if Steven had to find words for it, an unstructured meeting of the minds. Not full fusion, but not complete rejection.

"What happened?" Perry whimpered.

"We didn't do it right," Steven said. His head pulsed with pain, and he rubbed his temples.

"Did I do something wrong?" Peridot asked.

"No…" Steven said.

"You're lying!" Peridot shouted. She leapt out of Steven's lap, and pointed down at him. "I can feel it! I don't know how, but I can! You're lying because… because…" she slowly lowered her finger. "Because I screwed up, and you don't want to hurt my feelings." Peridot sat back down next to Steven, and hugged her knees. "I thought you said fusion was easy."

"It's supposed to be," Steven said. "This is the first time I've ever had this kind of trouble." Peridot closed her eyes.

"Guess I'm some sort of freak," she said. Steven embraced her.

"No, you're not," Steven said. "I don't know why it's so hard for you, but we'll get through it."

"You're mad at me though," Peridot sighed. "I can still feel your mind, just a little bit. You're mad about Lapis." Peridot felt Steven stiffen. He slowly released his grip.

"I can't help how I feel," Steven muttered.

"Neither can I," Peridot said.

"I just… I just thought me and you had something special," Steven said.

"We do!" Peridot said. She turned to face Steven, and locked eyes with him. "Steven, I love you very much. Just because I have feelings for Lapis doesn't mean that I love you any less."

"I just, I don't know," Steven sighed. "I just only love you, ya know? And there's something amazing about that. I just wish we could share it." Peridot took his hands in hers.

"Steven, please don't worry about this," Peridot said. "I understand how you feel about relationships… that they should be one-on-one. That's how it's going to stay. Just me and you."

"But what if Lapis decides she has feelings for you as well?" Steven asked. "What then?"

"Then we cross that road when we come to it," said Peridot.

"God, this is all so freakin' complicated," Steven moaned.

"I know," Peridot said. She snuggled into his lap, and Steven began patting her hair. "But it's worth it."

Steven had been walking in the canyon for almost an hour now. When he'd asked Garnet about where he was going, he was sure that he'd get told off. But Garnet hadn't said anything. Maybe she'd understood why Steven needed to do this. The Gems had helped him through thick and thin, but this was something he needed to do by himself.

Huge canyon walls surrounded him as he walked. He was at the bottom of what must have been a ten-story ravine. Caves, both natural and carved, were etched into the various cliffsides. The person he was looking for was here, back at the old Kindergarten. Steven always felt intense loathing at this place. This was where the Gem War started. So much death, so much destruction, could be drawn back to here.

"Hello Rose," came a husky voice. It echoed around the cliff walls. Steven took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.

"Jasper," Steven said.

"I didn't think you'd ever come back to visit me," Jasper said. "I was getting lonely. I was thinking maybe I'd pay a visit to Lazuli." Steven closed his eyes. He knew she was just trying to provoke him.

"I need your help," Steven said. Jasper's loud, coarse laugh echoed through the rocky gorge.

"The great and powerful Rose Quartz needing the help of a lowly Jasper? My, my, how the mighty have fallen," Jasper giggled. Steven ground his teeth together.

"Just because I freed you once doesn't mean I won't send you right back," Steven growled. "Now come out and face me." He saw it out of the corner of his eye. She had been hidden, blending in with the limestone. She uncurled herself like a massive tiger, and jumped down into view. She leered at Steven, her twisted smile churning the human-gem hybrid's guts.

"Someone's in a bad mood," Jasper said tauntingly.

"I don't have time for games," Steven said. Jasper bared her teeth.

"Well make time!" Jasper roared. "I didn't ask for you to come and see me, you know. I thought we agreed that I'd keep my distance, and you'd keep yours." Steven huffed, and clenched his fists. He knew she was right, but he didn't have to like it. "First things first, what do you want?" Jasper asked.

"To fight you," Steven replied. Jasper's face twisted with surprise.

"What!?" she cried. "I… but I haven't done anything!"

"No, I don't want to bubble you, or take you back or anything," Steven said. "Strictly nonlethal, on my end." Jasper raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean, 'on your end?'" she asked.

"I mean that you're free to try and kill me, if that's what you want," Steven said. Jasper brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face. She stared at Steven, trying to make sense of his request. "In fact, I'd prefer it. If I knew you were going all out, it'd help me focus more."

"Don't worry about that," Jasper growled. "If you're giving me permission, I'm going to fight my hardest." She tilted her head. "But why do this? What are you getting out of it?" Steven lowered his eyes, so he didn't have to look at his opponent.

"I need to hurt someone," Steven said. He heard his voice echo, and could hardly believe it was him. "The other Gems can help me train, but I have to show some restraint against them. With you, I don't have to do that. I know that you want to hurt me, so I can justify hurting you back."

Silence.

"You're serious?" Jasper asked. Steven nodded, slowly. "What the hell is all this for?"

"Serendibite," Steven said. He raised his eyes. Jasper continued to stare at him.

"She's finally coming?" Jasper asked. Steven nodded.

"I need to be ready," Steven said. Jasper chuckled.

"You'll never be ready, Rose," Jasper said. "I worked with Serendibite. I know how terrible she is. If you're going to defeat her, you need to be willing to kill again, and I know you don't have that in you."

"Guess we'll find out," Steven said. He raised his hand, and purplish light crystalized into a glowing shield. Jasper roared, and began to transform. Her muscles grew, adding several feet to her already prestigious height.

"I've been looking forward to this for a long time," Jasper croaked. Spikes burst out of her body, and her teeth grew fanglike. Claws burst from her fingers. When she stopped growing, she stood nearly six feet over Steven. He had managed to cure most of what had tainted her, but some of the corruption remained. The result loomed over Steven, half gem, half beast.

She came at him faster than he could react.

Claws tore into Steven's chest. His skin had naturally hardened as he'd gotten older, but the blow still damaged him. Steven felt a rush of pain, and was thrown against the side of the canyon. He stabilized himself before he collided fully, using his float-energy to cushion the blow. He grabbed onto a rock, and hung there for a second, collecting himself. Hot blood rushed down his chest- his shirt was gone. The Jasper-Beast turned to face him, roaring as it sped to where he rested. He let go of the rock, and grabbed his shield with both hands. He increased its size, and pooled energy into his feet. He leapt, the force of which shattered the rocks beneath his feet.

Jasper hadn't been expecting it. The huge shield collided directly with her face, knocking out a handful of her vicious fangs. She rolled onto her back, and quickly righted herself.

"You've gotten better," Jasper said. "But so have I!" She curled into a ball, and began to spin. Steven had seen this move many times before, and prepared to intercept. However, as she moved towards him, he realized that she was now entirely covered in spines. Unsure if his shield would hold, he attempted to dodge. Just as he sidestepped, however, Jasper turned, and Steven caught a whirlwind of spikes. They tore at his exposed chest and face, and he screamed in pain.

Jasper, still spinning, whirled in place. She was making another pass. Steven calmed himself down, and pulled his shield in two. They quickly reformed, and he was holding a shield in each hand. As Jasper came towards him, he threw them both in an arc. The collided with Jasper, and sent her careening into a wall. The force stopped her momentum, leaving her gasping for air. She had blown a cave-sized hole into the wall. Steven's shields flew back to him, and he snapped them back together into one, larger shield.

Jasper shook the rocks out of her hair, and dived at Stephen. Her claws collided with his shield, sending sparks flying. The pair locked eyes, hatred etched in Jaspers face, fury etched in Stevens. He pushed his strength into his shield, and Jasper began to lose ground.

"You can't be stronger than me!" Jasper roared.

"I am," Steven said. "I'm always as strong as I need to be." He threw his arms out, and Jasper flied back. She hit the rock wall yet again, stunning her. Steven saw his opportunity.

He threw his shield into Jasper, where it struck her in the gut. She doubled over as the shield flew back to Steven. As soon as it touched his hand, he threw it again, this time even faster. It struck her head, and she grabbed her face as the shield came back yet again. Steven threw it a third time, and the shield became impossibly fast. Jasper wasn't sure where it hit her, only that she was in extreme pain.

Each time Steven threw the shield, it came back faster and faster. It seemed to Jasper that a million shields were racing towards her. She had no change to dodge. She felt herself shrinking, no longer able to hold her monstrous form. Only when she had totally transformed, her skin cracked in most places, did Steven stop throwing his shield. He stood in front of her. Bruised. Bloody.

Victorious.

Steven had told her to practice. Had told Jasper he'd be coming back. She'd promised to train, but she knew the truth: it was already too late. No matter what he did, he'd never be ready. Jasper had served with Serendibite, and she knew what would happen.

"You're already dead Rose," Jasper said to herself. "And so is this world."

Steven walked into the barn, the door creaking as he opened it. His hair was matted with sweat, his replacement shirt stuck to him. Peridot mumbled to herself, and slowly opened her eyes. She turned to her left, and was shocked to see Steven at the top of her ladder. He hoisted himself up, and walked over to her bed.

"Steven, what-" but before she could finish talking, he pounced on top of her. Peridot squealed in surprise. His hair hung down from his head, brushing against her cheeks. She could smell him- it wasn't bad. In fact, the scent seemed to fill her with strange, but powerful desire. Steven leaned in, and Peridot closed her eyes. They kissed madly, greedily, desperate for each other. Steven came up for air, and Peridot caressed his arms. "Not that I'm complaining, but what's going on?"

"I just need you," Steven said. His voice was barely above a whisper. "I don't care about all the complicated junk that we've been going through. The only thing I know is that I love you, and I need to be with you right now." Peridot felt her heartbeat quicken. She closed her eyes, and a flash of light filled the room. Steven blinked. "What was that?" he asked.

"I had to make myself, uh, anatomically appropriate," Peridot said. Steven blinked, then grinned slyly.

"Well, I'll have to check out how you did," Steven asked. Peridot giggled.

"Please do," she said. Happy to oblige, Steven reached up, and grabbed her leotard by the shoulders. He slowly lowered it, kissing her neck as he did so. She moaned in appreciation, and he kissed lower as he revealed more of her chest. When her breasts were revealed, he immediately took one into his mouth. Her moan turned into a squeal of delight, and she grabbed a handful of his hair. "T-t-that's new," she panted. Steven moved over to the other breast, and Peridot groaned. She didn't know what he was doing, but she did know that he was very good at it. Steven surfaced, and took her breasts in his hands. He kneaded them, and Peridot purred.

"You definitely did a good job on these," Steven said. "They're amazing."

"T-t-thank you!" Peridot squealed.

"Let's keep going," Steven said. "Gotta make sure everything's correct." Peridot's heart was racing. She knew where this was going, and she was incredibly excited. Finally, after all this time, it was happening. She reached down, and before he could stop her, tore Steven's shirt off.

He was covered in bandages. The way they were wrapped, Peridot was sure Steven had done it himself. Many were still soaked in blood. Peridot shook her head.

"What happened to you!?" Peridot cried. Steven sighed, got off her, and sat on his heels.

"It's a new type of training," said Steven. "It's incredibly intense."

"Look at you!" Peridot said. "Whatever this is, it's tearing you apart! You have to stop." Steven shook his head.

"I can't," Steven said. "If I'm going to protect you, I need to do this."

"You can't destroy yourself for me!" Peridot insisted. Steven smiled.

"Perry, as long as I can keep you safe, I'll do whatever it takes," Steven said. Peridot gasped, and fell on top of Steven. She sobbed unabashedly. Steven could feel her bare chest bouncing against his own. He took her in his arms, and waited for the storm of emotion to pass.

"I love you Steven," Peridot whispered.

"I love you too," Steven said. They kissed again. The lust that had briefly faded was beginning to return. Peridot straddled Steven, and he gasped at the sudden sensation.

"You like that?" Peridot asked. Steven nodded. "Well, I want to feel you too." She unbuckled his belt, and took off his jeans. His red boxers couldn't hide his desperate need. Peridot could feel a hot, pounding heat run through her. This was it. This is what she'd always wanted. She rubbed herself against him, and Steven groaned.

"Perry…"

"You don't have to say anything," Peridot said. She lifted her hips up, and fell back on top of him. Although they were both still clothed, the sensation was incredibly intense. Both shivered in pleasure. She did it again, and again, and before long they were lost in the feeling. She was ready now. She could feel how wet she was, and she could tell how bad Steven wanted her. She rose one more time, figuring this last buck would satiate them for long enough to get their clothes off. When she came back down, however, Steven grabbed her arms. He held her there, and locked eyes with her. He could feel him shaking under her. A few seconds passed, and she felt a different wetness against her pussy.

"Oh no," Steven groaned. His face was beet red. "I can't believe I just did that."

"Did you… just…" Peridot trailed off.

"Yeeeeees," Steven groaned. Peridot laughed, and Steven got even redder.

"No, don't be embarrassed!" Peridot said. "I heard this happens a lot with first timers. I'll take it as a compliment." She snuggled up next to him. "Besides, this whole thing was kind of spontaneous. Now we'll have time to plan it."

"Yeah," Steven said. Peridot could tell he was still really embarrassed.

"Steven, it's okay," Peridot said. "Really."

"You're not upset?" Steven asked.

"Not upset," Peridot said. "But there is one thing."

"What?" Steven asked.

"Well, you got to finish, but I didn't," Peridot said. A devilish grin slid over Steven's face.

"Let's see if we can do something about that, shall we?"

Author's Note: Thank goodness for coffee, and Celine Dion blasting on repeat. Seriously folks, I'm gonna try to keep this up, despite my busy schedule. Thanks, yet again, for all the interest/comments.