She had been told multiple times that her habit of watching Steven sleep was odd. However, she can't just stop habit. It was her duty to watch over Rose whenever her physical form had disappeared. Sleeping was a similar action, but just happened daily. Plus, Steven was adorable when he was sleeping.

"Hey Pearl, are you up there being creepy again?" she heard Amethyst call up in a whisper. Pearl thanked whoever was response for making Steven a heavy sleeper and gracefully jumped down from Steven's loft.

"What are you doing here Amethyst?" Pearl asked.

"You know, chillin'" she answered, sitting down on the couch.

"Did you even report back to Garnet yet? You know that the enemy is till at large, and we can't afford to not tell Garnet any new information, and-"

"Did you get that painting from Homeworld?" Amethyst asked out of the blue.

Pearl paused and looked above the doorway. It was a memory that Pearl could replay forever. It was just a few months after they had met Greg. It turned out that Greg was a satisfactory artist, and had wanted to paint Rose. It was a beautiful painting, and they had kept it in the Temple for the longest time. It wasn't until Steven was born and their house was built that it was actually hung up.

She could still remember how perfect Rose looked, posing for Greg. It was as if the sun the clouds knew how to position themselves to make her look perfect.

"No, Greg actually made it," Pearl answered finally.

"Makes sense I guess. That's how Vidalia and Greg did meet after all," Amethyst shifted her eyes to in front of her. Pearl moved her head slightly and saw a smaller version of the painting within a glass frame.

"I, I found this in Greg's garage. I thought you might want it. Heh, the guy had like five of them, so he won't miss one of them. I found that frame in my room too then," Amethyst explained as she gave the photo to Pearl.

"Amethyst, thank y-"

"I'll only give this to you if we take down that painting," Amethyst offered. Pearl's world stopped for a second.

"What are you suggesting Amethyst? That we abandon Rose Quartz?" Pearl accused, careful of her voice not to rise more than necessary. The last thing the two of them needed to was to explain to Steven why they were fighting again.

Amethyst looked down, as if suggesting that is what they should do.

"Amethyst," Pearl almost growled out.

"Look! Rose Quartz isn't dead, but now she's Steven. You don't need to be in servitude to her because Steven sees you as family, get it? And that's what Steven needs right now! He doesn't need someone to serve him; he needs someone to teach him!" Amethyst argued.

Pearl was taken back and was about to argue something back, but Amethyst simply continued. "I see the way you look at that painting. Pearl, you need to move on. We all loved Rose, you probably loved her differently, but we all need to move on. I can't do that if I just have her face right in front of me while I hang out with Steven. Because you know what? When I see Steven, I can't help but wished it wasn't him that was there. I want to move on, not for my sake, but for Steven's too, you know?"

Pearl didn't know what to say at that. Amethyst was out of argument at this point and walked angrily out, leaving Pearl alone with silenced laced with Steven's peaceful snores. It was a sound that was so unlike Rose. Rose wouldn't snore, she would be awake, planning how to go against Homeworld and protecting the planet she loved so-

Pearl stopped herself. She looked at the picture Amethyst had placed on the table.

"Rose," Pearl whispered.

She closed her eyes, and let out a breath. It was time.

It was a week after the argument, and Pearl wasn't seen since. Amethyst began to worry that maybe she was a little too hard. It was after a day of hunting Peridot, going through Greg's garage and then through her own stuff. She was fair to say she was a little stressed.

When she found Pearl standing in front of the door one morning, she was fully prepared for her to ignore her.

"Oh Amethyst! Look at this little thing," Pearl motioned leaving Amethyst a little shocked.

"Pearl, what," and she stopped. Amethyst looked up and saw that an entirely new painting replaced the picture of Rose Quartz. It was the four of them, Garnet, Steven, Pearl, and herself striking a quite heroic pose. Greg's signature was placed in the corner as well. It was quite beautiful if she had to say so herself.

"Where did the other picture go?" Amethyst asked.

"Greg and I had a bit of a trade," Pearl answered simply, fiddling with the painting to make sure it was perfectly straight. Amethyst smiled. She could already tell Pearl looked happier. The teleporter began to ring as it began to receive a signal.

"And then the tiger came this close to the rabbit but I- Whoa! That looks so cool!" Steven yelled as he saw the painting. "Did Dad draw this?" he asked. Garnet looked shocked for a moment, but regained her poise and smiled.

"That's right Steven. I thought it would be nice to have a painting of the whole family, so that no matter who comes in, they know that this house belongs to the Crystal Gems," Pearl explained. She walked over to doorframe and picked up something.

"However, I want you to have this too. She's your mother, and you should remember her too," Pearl said as she gave the photo that Amethyst recognized as the smaller print of the painting. Steven smiled and gave Pearl a big hug.

He might not know where Pearl came from, and to be honest, he didn't care too much about it. However, he realized that she was finally walking forward and closer to her current family.

She was moving on, and being Pearl, at last.

A/N: One of my biggest questions about the gems that came out in Rose's Scabbard and Joy Ride was the question do the crystal gems see Steven as Rose or as Steven? Do they see him as a burden or a gift? They love Steven, but who wouldn't. After all, he is the epitome of what Rose loved in humans, plus he's half gem. If there was ever an episode where they had to choose, who would the gems pick? Rose or Steven? The leader or friend?

For Pearl, I honestly think her loyalty to Rose is keeping her in the past. And while I like Rose as much as the next person, Pearl is in the present. Rose is gone, for now, and she needs to be Pearl. She can be Pearl. She is no longer Rose's Pearl, and I really like to think Pearl is going to grow up without that portrait staring her down.

Thank you for reading this story! I had a lot of fun writing it!