Steven's P.O.V

"Little bit further.....a bit more.....right there!" Sadie exclaimed.

Garnet and I nodded and set the donut in its final place on top of the shop. We make sure that all the supports are stable and that everything's secure before we jump off the roof and land safely on the ground. Walking over to Sadie, we follow her gaze as she looks up at the Big Donut.

"It's amazing what people can do when they all work together" She remarks, marveling at how perfectly reconstructed the shop looks.

"It sure is, Sadie" I reply, stealing a smug glance from Garnet, "Along with the help of the Gems, this city was rebuilt in no time". 

Sadie smiles and looks over at us.

"Well, I imagine that you have other people to help, so I won't take up much more of your time" She says.

"Please. It's always a pleasure to aid our friends" Garnet replies. 

Sadie nods in agreement and gives the both of us hugs before walking into her newly remade food outlet.

"So, where to next, Garnet?" I ask.

"Hmm, I believe that it's your girlfriend's place" The fusion says, grinning at my embarrassed expression.

"Connie's not my girlfriend" I say, forcing my hands into my jacket pockets while attempting to bypass her teasing.

"Maybe" Garnet smiles, placing a hand atop my head, "But I've seen the way you too look at each other. I'll probably have to start planning your wedding like you did for Ruby and Sapphire". 

I roll my eyes, making Garnet giggle.

"Let's just go" I say, looking to put this conversation behind me.

Luckily, Garnet doesn't tease me any further. As the two of us walk away from the Big Donut and into the outskirts of Beach City, she remains quiet, like I've known her to be for most of my life. It's comforting in a way because it leaves me to think on these conflicting emotions I've had as of late. Usually, I'm pretty good at dealing with that kind of stuff, but something in me says that this is something I've never encountered before, much like when Spinel came in the first place.

Ah, Spinel. At first glance, like any other human or Gem, I was terrified of her. But, when she rotated her gem and showed that wounded and vulnerable side to her, I began to feel more sympathetic and empathetic for her. That's why it made all the difference that the two of us became friends. Her abandonment on the Garden was unforgivable and, if Mom ever comes back somehow, I'm gonna make sure she knows how wrong she was for doing that. But the thing that Spinel and I share is the pain we had/have to deal with and how that in of itself makes us more relatable to each other than any of the other Crystal Gems. I just wish I could've had more time with her before the Diamonds took her back to Homeworld with them.

Don't get me wrong, we still remain very good friends. About a month ago, I received a Homeworld communicator via crashed Ruby ship and ever since, Spinel and I have been able to talk to each other. Whenever we're both available, she tells me the wonders of Homeworld and how great it is living with the Diamonds. I'm never envious of her, since she deserves this after her 6,000 years of solitude, and what kind of friend would I be to stomp all over her happiness? Also, Spinel always asks how things are here and my response is the same every time. Progress is steady and all, but I miss my best friend more than anything. She then replies with "I know! I wish I could visit, but I have something going on. Don't let that stop you from coming to Homeworld though. You know the Diamonds and myself would love to have you around!". After that, we usually ramble on for a few minutes before Spinel says she needs to go and she disconnects.

As Garnet and I near Connie's apartment neighborhood, I run my finger over the communicator, which I hastily keep in my pocket at all times. Call me needy or obsessed, but I always wanna be ready in case Spinel calls. It's what good friends do, right? Am I right? Or....is this something else? I really don't know. I thought I was certain of this, but the more I think about it, I might be approaching this whole communication business with a different aspect than friendship!

"We're here, Steven" Garnet informs me. 

I blink my eyes a few times and shake the thoughts loose. When I look ahead, I see that we have indeed arrived. Though the poison streams spread in very linear patterns, not all houses went untouched. Connie, sadly, had her house caught in the very center of a remarkably thin poison stream. While that may seem like no big deal, looking at the repairs made to the house now, I can assure you that the damages were far from meager. A new roof has been put on, the windows have been replaced, the grass replanted, and the siding redone completely. That poison was like acid, though Peridot assured me that the two had no direct correlation, but you could've fooled me, man!

Nevertheless, Connie's home looks right up to code, as the professionals would say. Connie herself is currently chatting with Amethyst as Pearl talks with Mr and Mrs. Maheswaran. They're all sitting on the porch, waiting for us apparently because as soon as Connie's eyes meet mine, she jumps up and leaves Amethyst hanging. As she runs over to hug me, Pearl and the elder Maheswarans also stop their talking, watching us with smiling faces as Connie smiles into my jacket. I feel a bit uncomfortable about the affection, but still hug back since she's my friend and I don't want to be rude. I only really think of Connie as a friend right now, though most people around me don't seem to get that.

"I'm so glad you stopped by, Steven!" Connie says eagerly, pulling back from the hug to drag me behind her back towards her waiting parents. 

Mr and Mrs. Maheswaran both greet me with a hug as well, a welcome change from the cold and demanding demeanor they displayed when I first met them. I then sit down next to Amethyst, Connie plopping down on my right, and together, the seven of us gaze out at the reconstructed Beach City.

"Unbelievable how much damage that Gem weapon did to our city" Mr. Maheswaran muses.

"Yes, it is. Destructive capabilities that not even I knew existed" Pearl remarks, resting her hands on her knees while resting her chin on them hands, "Again, I apologize that this happened. I had all but forgotten about Spinel. However, if I had remembered her troublesome behavior, I can assure you that I would've done more to stop her".

I quietly scoff at Pearl's words, visibly crossing my arms. I don't like how she's talking about her and after what we say, I highly doubt she could've stopped a Gem like Spinel. It's also a bit ironic she says that because it's not hard to stop someone if you just choose to not acknowledge the fact that you knew them in the first place. But, apparently, Connie's thinking negatively about my friend as well because the next words that come out of her mouth aren't any nicer.

"Absolutely, Pearl, and if she does come back here again, we'll show her what's what. Stevonnie will kick her butt back to whatever pit of misery she belongs in, right, Steven?" Connie says as she turns to me.

"Is that a really nice thing to say, Connie? Spinel's actions were wrong, that much I'll admit, but is it right to call her names and be mean to her when she's not here? No, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk about my friend that way" I reply. 

"Friend? Is that what you call her? Steven, she tried to kill you. Just how many people do you love surrounding yourself with those that have ultimately tried to kill you? And how many times have you called her on that communicator device she sent you? You hardly ever call me!" The girl huffs in frustration.

"Connie, watch your tone, young lady" Mrs. M warns her daughter. 

"Enough times to know that I can tell her anything and that she won't judge me for it. It's what true friends really are, Connie. Maybe you should take a page from her book, or better yet, read the whole book in that situation. If you did that, you'd probably understand why I keep saying no to when you ask me" I counter, decreasing my anger while glaring at her with narrow eyes.

"Is that you won't accept me as your girlfriend? It's because you're already crushing over someone like her?" Connie huffs, shaking her head, "Unbelievable." 

Personally, I've had of her attitude, so I stand up and begin to walk away.

"Thank you for having me, Mr and Mrs. M. Hope you two have a good evening" I say with strained calmness before walking farther. 

I don't hear the footsteps of the Gems running up to me, so that means that they're wise enough to not bother me when I'm worked up. As I'm walking home alone, I notice that the sky is turning this beautiful mixture of yellow, purple, and orange, the colors of a sunset. Believe it or not, me and the Gems have all been working to help, as we've done repeatedly the past five or six months. The day has grown late though, but the timing makes it so that I can bask in one last glorious sight before turning in for the night. Such sights are a plenty in a place like my home, but little actually measures up to things like this. In no time at all, I'm walking up the steep slope of the cliff that the Temple's built into. The Sun's nearly down, but as I get to the cliff edge and sit down, I can still see about half of it peaking over the horizon line. As I sit, I feel like I made the right call there back at the Maheswaran house. Walking away was handling it like an adult and better than just arguing for hours at a time. And, it's reasons like that why I can't see Connie as girlfriend material.

Sighing, I gaze longingly at the mix of colors in the fading sky. Out of habit, I fish around inside my jacket pocket and pull out the communicator. Should I call Spinel and get her input on the matter? No, no, she's probably busy. Shaking my head, I grip onto the device tighter and make my eyes flit back and forth because of my emotions. Everything seemed like it would be a happily ever after even before Spinel entered my life. But even now, with my home stronger than ever before, I still don't find myself happy. The heart gem was someone I never knew I needed in my life. She helped me realize that I can't forget what makes me who I am and that I must be the best person I can be. I look up to see the sunset once more, but then I come to find out I've been mulling about for too long because it's gone. The blackness of night is settling in and I better go home. Drawing my lips into a thin line, I stand, turn away from the cliff, and trudge back down the slope. As I head down, I look down at the communicator in my hand, Spinel's face appearing in my mind with her adorable smile, her cheery attitude, and her cute heart shaped ponytails. A few tears drop from my face, dripping onto the device.

"I miss you, Spinel. More than you know" I say to the stars.

~~ The Next Morning... ~~

"Steven! Wake up!" A loud, grating voice calls up to me.

I begin to open my eyes and feel a sudden, heavy lump jump onto the bed. I can feel it crawling over to me, but I'm not at all frightened because I'd recognize that voice anywhere.

"Top of the morning to you too, Amethyst" I groan, wiping the grit from my eyelids and sitting up.

Opening my eyes fully, I look over and see that she's dressed in black yoga pants and a white shirt of mine, her hair done in a single ponytail that runs down her back. I can say this for certain, if I didn't have such deep emotions for Spinel, I'd maybe consider giving Amethyst a chance if we weren't like brother and sister. But we are, so that wouldn't be ethically sound.

"Dude! Sleeping is for the night time! The day is here and now, so let's get moving!" My purple sister urges excitedly, tugging my arm like an eager five year old wanting to catch the ice cream truck.

I can only sigh in response though, because the memory of how yesterday went is still fresh in my mind. Upon seeing my woeful expression, Amethyst's demeanor changes and she frowns with concern, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"What's wrong, Steven? Is it something about yesterday? Is it about Connie?" She asks.

I quietly shake my head and place my hand on her arm, making Amethyst pause. I then get up and begin walking out of the dome, Amethyst following me as I walk the path into the Temple.

"It's not all that" I admit, my voice low, "I just...miss her. More than I ever thought I would".

"Her? You mean Spinel?" Amethyst asks carefully.

I nod, tears now starting to form in my eyes. Amethyst sighs and folds her arms over each other. We soon find ourselves inside the Temple and onto the couch.

"Not to be rude, dude, but why exactly do you miss her?" She asks, "I get that you two formed a bond somewhat, but she did choose to leave Earth and go to Homeworld with the Diamonds because she didn't wish to stay here. I'm sure it wasn't because of you, but the way things played out were still fresh at the time and she probably needed time to process everything."

"What's your point, Amethyst?" I ask, raising my eyebrow.

"My point is that you gotta let her absence on Earth slide, man. Besides, who needs her when you got us, most importantly, me. You have your big sis to have fun with and comfort you anytime you like. What can Spinel offer you that I can't?" Amethyst says.

I shrug and turn away, noticing a glow in the corner of my eye. Looking back toward Amethyst, I have to blink a few times before I realize what I'm looking at. She's shape shifted into Spinel, it being hauntingly reminiscent of that time I found her and my dad in that storage unit watching that old show that Mom apparently liked. My eyes widen in surprise and I back away in fear. While in her mind, she might think she's being comforting, I thought Amethyst would have learned not to do this again.

"What are you doing?" I remark, not liking this at all.

"I'll be her replacement if you'd like. That way you won't be sad anymore" Spinel-Amethyst says, grabbing my hands, "C'mon, Steven, it's your best friend. Don't tell me you don't recognize your bestie!"

"AMETHYST!" Pearl shouts at the purple gem.

She and I both turn to see Pearl standing nearby with Garnet, Lapis, and Peridot. Each of them bear an expression of disapproval, Pearl showing the most with a head shake. Garnet must've told Lapis and Peridot about the last time Amethyst tried this because both looked pretty disappointed right now too.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!?!" Pearl screams at Amethyst.

My sis, more than likely ashamed of herself, shape shifts back into her usual form. She then walks down the stairs and over to the others, knowing that she can't very well walk away from this. I don't wanna see this play out and frankly, I don't wanna be here right now, so I think it's best I leave the premises immediately. I walk down the stairs, not sparing Amethyst a glance as I pass by her, and head for the front door.

"Do you know how selfish and heartless you were just now!" I hear Pearl lecture her.

"I only wanted him to spend time with me" Amethyst replies nervously, "I...thought he'd like it."

"Have you learned nothing, Amethyst? It's bad enough when you did this to Greg that other time, but now with Steven too? It's unacceptable" Garnet scolds her disapprovingly.

The Gems keep lecturing Amethyst, but by now I've exited the Temple, walking down the porch steps and across the sandy shores of the beach. Whether she realizes it or not, it really did hurt what Amethyst did, especially from being in pain after the events of yesterday night. You know, it's times like these when I wish that I should've agreed to live with the Diamonds. They wouldn't be overbearing, stressful, and a real test on my anger. Those three are kind, caring, and sympathetic, what any lucky kid or Gem would dream to have. Or perhaps that's just my frustration talking at the moment.

In any case, I'm thinking about visiting the Cool Kids and seeing what they're up to at the moment. I enjoy some music along the way, so much so that I get almost too in depth with it to realize when I've reached Sadie's house. From what I can recall, the band still practices their music down in the basement, so that's where I'm going. I hesitantly walk up to the door and ring the bell. I hear a "be there in a second" from the other side and soon, the door opens to reveal Sadie's mother, Barb.

"Steven! So glad you came back again" She says, opening her arms up for a hug which I gladly return.

"It's nice to be back, Mrs. Miller" I chuckle, relieved at the feeling of laughter passing through my system.

Barb then steps back and to the side, correctly anticipating what I plan on doing next. She closes the door after I enter, but just as I'm about to head for the passageway into the basement, my stomach tells both me and her that breakfast hasn't been served yet. I quietly curse myself for leaving the Temple so abruptly.

"Did you not get breakfast yet, sweetie?" Mrs. Miller asks in a motherly tone.

I smile sheepishly and nod in embarrassment.

"Well,  don't you worry, young one. Even though my daughter fixes her own breakfasts now, I'm more than happy to feed such a kind and considerate boy like yourself" She continues, striding right into the kitchen, making me follow while rubbing the back of my neck in guilt.

"I wouldn't want to impose on your hospitality, Mrs. M" I politely tell her, watching as she got out a pan and started mixing pancake batter together.

"Oh, pish posh, Steven! It's no trouble at all. In fact, I quite miss making meals for my daughter. So, in a way, you're helping me relive some of the greatest memories I've had as a mother" Barb explains, pouring the completed mix into the pan.

I sigh, accepting defeat, and saunter over to the kitchen table, sitting down in one chair while Mrs. M takes the other next to me.

"So, what's happening with you, young man?" She asks, placing both hands on the table.

I bite my lip and rub my arms uncomfortably.

"Eh, well, things didn't really start out great this morning. My sister got a bit jealous that I wanted to spend more time with a friend off world than with her, so she shape shifted into that friend and teased me" I tell her.

"Ugh, I can't believe Amethyst" Barb shakes her head, "Did the other Crystal Gens straighten her out?"

"From what I heard leaving home a bit ago, I'd say so, yeah" I shrug.

"Don't let her get to you, Steven" Mrs. Miller reassures me, "If Amethyst can't accept the fact that this person means so much to you then that's her problem. But do tell me about this friend of yours. Is it a girl you have a crush on?"

"I don't fully know, Mrs. M. I mean, I care for Spinel a lot, but is it a crush if you defend them so much against your family? I mean, I did that for Lapis and Peridot, but they're not my girlfriends. But Spinel feels so very near and dear to me. We haven't been on the same planet in months and yet somehow, I feel like there's a hole in my heart that only she can fill" I rant.

Out of the corner of my eye, the timer for the pancakes goes and Sadie's mom gets up to serve it up, but not before elaborating her take on my insight.

"Oh, Steven. It definitely sounds like your crushing on this Spinel girl. Have you had daydreams about her looks and how they make you feel?" Barb asks, sliding the pancake onto the awaiting plate and bringing out the syrup from the fridge.

I think about it for a second and an image of Spinel's face appears in my mind. I think Mrs. M is right because as I picture her, Spinel's eyes make my heart flutter and her smile makes me smile as well.

"I think you're right, Mrs. M. I think I do have a crush on Spinel" I accept, the pancake plate placed in front of me with some syrup on the right side and utensils lying across it.

Sadie's mom smiles and sits down in her spot, watching as I dig in.

"I'm so happy for you, Steven! Ah, young love. Reminds me of when I met my husband and had Sadie" She sighs happily.

"Awh, thanks Mom. That means a lot" A voice says appreciatively from behind me.

I pause mid-chew as turn to see Sadie herself standing in the basement door frame. She then notices me and rushes over to hug me. I try to say something like "it's good to see you, Sadie" but it instead comes out as "ift goom too svee you Fhadie". Mrs M then tells me to not talk with my mouth full, which I find cute cause she's treating me as if I were her own son.

"What I was trying to say is that it's good to see you, Sadie!" I say, swallowing and elaborating on my mouthful mannerisms.

"You bet. It's so good to see you as well. Bet you didn't get enough of me yesterday, huh? You had to stop on by because you missed your Jam Bud" Sadie teases.

I freeze at the term 'Jam Bud'. But, at the moment, I'm more ok with Sadie using that nickname than I am with Connie using it. Of course, Connie's jam is meant of the jelly type of jam and Sadie's is off of the musical term jam, but that's not super important.

"Oh, totally!" I joke back, the pair of us giggling.

I then wipe the syrup off my face and stand up, bring my dirty dish to the sink for washing.

"Don't worry about washing it, dear" Sadie's mother says, coming over to take the plate from me gently, "You kids go have fun, I'll take care of this".

"You sure? I don't wanna seem like I'm abusing your kindness" I say.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no. It's perfectly fine, young man. Please, go have a good time with my daughter" Mrs. M smiles before her face grows serious, "But in all seriousness, if one thing leads to another, use protection".

"Mom!" Sadie whines, "You know I'm dating Lars, right? Besides, I'm not into that kind of stuff!".

"You never know" Mrs. M shrugs, "Kids these days are really horny".

Sadie's all ready to leave this conversation, so she urgently grabs me by the hand and drags me behind her down the stairs and into the basement. On the way, she apologizes for her mom's behavior, but I simply tell her that it's fine and she can forget about it. Sadie accepts that plenty fine and just keeps on keeping on all the way into the basement. Once we reach the bottom of the steps, the two of us see that the rest of the Cool Kids are already assembled. Sour Cream looking rad as always, Jenny's keeping it real with a new braid down her back, and Buck's rocking the same old shades that make him look awesome. The one thing I've admired about them is how each member brings their own unique style to the band, making the diversity so real and so radical.

"Alright, everyone! The last member has finally arrived!" Sadie announces, the three teens cheering.

They all come over and we exchange hugs and fist bumps with each other. We all then find a comfortable place to sit and get out our instruments. With my back against the downstairs couch, I sigh and reach inside my Gem, yanking my guitar out like I'm drawing a weapon. I then exhale deeply and first look down at the instrument before looking up at my fellow band mates and then back down again. Time to make a greater start to the day!

"Let's play" I whisper to myself.