"The view here is wonderful." Rose murmured. The sun had just set, and the forest behind them started to fill with the soft night time sounds while the sky slowly traded the bright vivid colors of a sunset for the polished blues and blacks of the night sky. "There was nothing like this on Homeworld, you know."

Greg had been unusually silent that trip, and there was a sort of nervousness that was very obvious during the entire time that they had been waiting. Garnet had spent the past few days uncontrollably smiling with some sort of pent up energy. When Rose asked, Garnet said that she would know soon enough.

"So," Greg took a deep breath, "Rose."

"So, Greg." Rose teased. He let out a nervous chuckle, but not much more. There was something that he wanted to say, and Rose patiently waited until he had his thoughts and wits together enough for him to form the words to say it.

There were long pauses where Greg would look ready to say what he had on his mind, and his mouth were shaped into the words, but his mind wasn't working correctly. It took several attempts for him to finally say what he wanted to say.

"Will," His voice cracked and he took another deep breath. "Will you marry me?" His voice was strained and soft, like he was ashamed of the words, or perhaps how long it took him to finally ask them.

"Is that all?" Greg shrugged, embarrassed. "Greg is that why you were so worried this entire time? Did you really think that I would say no?"

"I don't know, I thought you might just it was too early or-"

"I would love to be married to you."

That was nearly a month ago, and today was the day. Wedding day. Pearl stood inside the temple, the only person left. She was waiting to wake up. To wake up in her room from the horrible, twisted nightmare.

Instead, the world continued and there was lively chattering on the beach. The wedding was larger than expected- most of Beach City's citizens had arrived. Nearly half of them were there because of the well known beautiful woman, someone who was rarely seen, but impossible to forget, and the other half was there because of the good natured man that had built his life alongside them.

Pearl was watching from inside the temple, the suit suddenly felt too tight, crushing her ribcage and breaking her heart. She knew that was impossible. This suit fit almost perfect only two days ago, but now just existing was the most painful thing that she could ever imagine.

She was Rose's maid of honor. A maid of honor. Not the bride. Not enough. Never enough.

She had never been enough for her.

But that didn't matter right now. Today, it was Rose and Greg's day and she was nothing more than a familiar face in the crowd. Today was the day that any hopes were erased. Today was the day that marked the beginning of the end. Today was the last step of Rose leaving her behind after so many thousands of years. Today was the end of everything she had loved.

And Pearl had to act like it was the beginning of something beautiful.

She took one more moment to try and put up her mask. One step at a time, she made her way to the place on the beach where the marriage was suppose to happen. Garnet was in a simple and plain white dress, holding onto Amethyst's hand, who was wearing a plain dotted white dress that came down to her knees.

"Where have you been, Pearl?" Amethyst whispered. Even she had the sense to behavior herself today, but when she looked up at Pearl she couldn't help but be surprised.

"Did you cry-"

"Let's not talk about it, Amethyst." Pearl quickly dismissed the youngest gem, but she couldn't help but notice that Amethyst was staring at her with confused and concerned eyes. Pearl fixed her eyes on the alter, barely noticing when anything happened. She was trying to bring back memories when it was just the two of them, without Garnet or Amethyst or Greg. Just the two of them, and there was no one to fight for attention.

"Do you take Greg Universe as your lawfully wedded husband?" The priest talked too slowly, and time seemed to slow. Pearl was trapped in this moment, losing Rose to a human that would die and leave her unhappy. Pearl wished that she could grab Rose by the arm and lead her away back to the times where it was just them fighting for freedom.

"I do." Rose's voice seemed to echo off of the cliff behind them, making a chilling sound that would haunt Pearl.

"And do you take Rose Quartz as your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do." Greg's voice was much softer, but it carried the same intense love. Pearl flinched like it was a knife through the heart.

The priest turned to face the audience in front of him, seeming to look at every person in the face. He turned to look at the couple, and then the rest of the Crystal Gems. His eyes made Pearl shudder.

"If anyone can show just cause why this couple cannot lawfully be joined together in matrimony, let them speak now or forever hold their peace." There was only a short pause, since it wasn't very traditional for someone to object such a thing, especially at the wedding itself.

Pearl didn't feel an urge to say anything. At this point it was too late. She should have seen it coming when they first met, she should had taken Rose's affection more seriously before she lost it.

"You may now kiss the-"

And before the priest could even finish, Greg swept Rose into a kiss. It was obvious to see that Greg loved Rose.

Almost as much as Pearl loved her.