A/N: A lot of heart went into this chapter. I listened to Tessa from the Transformers 4 soundtrack while writing this. Not a fan of the movie franchise but it's such a beautiful tune and it really helped to set the mood for the later parts this chapter. If you can, I'd recommend putting it on while reading. Enjoy everyone!

I also really wanted to give another shoutout to Specimen 12 for always checking up on me and giving me a little extra encouragement. You're awesome dude.

Peridot was quite pleased with the progress she had been making in the last couple weeks. Connie and Steven were more than happy to teach her how to read their language. They aided her in the process of pointing out repeating patterns in the seemingly random jumbles of letters, pairing them up with their proper sounds.

Just as the children had expected, Peridot was an exceptionally fast learner. The young technician had rapidly familiarized herself with nearly all twenty-six letters of their alphabet, recognizing both capitalized and lower-case forms, as well as when it was appropriate to use them when constructing words and sentences. The only ones that seemed to ever throw her off a bit were some of the less common letters, like "x" or "z."

Not long after beginning her lessons, courtesy of Steven and Connie, Peridot finally found herself able to decipher the information laid out for her in the books the two children had previously obtained for her. Steven had left the bulk of this particular activity to Connie, knowing that it was more her area of expertise. He was needed for missions with the Gems and he knew this would give his two friends the opportunity to bond in his absence.

At Steven's suggestion, Peridot had taken up residence at the barn, the wooden structure where the child had first stumbled across her a couple weeks ago. Initially, the Gem had believed it to be a somewhat inadequate choice of residence, but now it wasn't seeming like such a bad place. It was isolated, quiet, and there were all manner of things in the barn that she could put to use if she so desired.

For the time being, with the sun shining down on them, Peridot and Connie sat outside the weatherworn structure. Lion had decided to stay with them, sprawled out not too far from Connie.

The two companions were currently looking through a geology textbook for what had to be the fourth time that week. Peridot had already taken down information about some of the planet's most recognizable geological landmarks in her logs, but there were also other topics that she found herself naturally drawn to, namely the formation and classification of gems.

Or at least, the formation and classification of gems native to the Earth. It was a topic that was both interesting and unnerving to the young Gem, some morbid curiosity always seeming to drive her back to it. There was just something unsettling about the way humans utilized these particular gems…

"So." Peridot cleared her throat. "Just checking one more time. You're absolutely certain these gems aren't actually sentient beings imprisoned in ornamental items that humans wear as decorative status symbols." She stated, clearly having discussed this previously with the girl.

Connie looked up from the various diagrams detailing the chemical structures of different gems, turning her attention to the one in front of her. They were back to this again it seemed…

"No, Peridot." She breathed out, sounding somewhat exasperated. "They're just shiny, polished stones that people like to wear because they look nice. They don't have the capability to be aware of their surroundings like you do." The technician's perturbed expression didn't waver much.

"I see… I suppose I'll just take your word for it then." Connie held back a laugh. 'That's what you said the last three times.'

Peridot glanced back down to the textbook, Connie noticing that she finally seemed to gather enough resolve to push onto the next part of the topic. Thank goodness. It seemed the girl's attempts at reassurance had gotten through to her at last.

The green Gem skimmed over the opposite page, some sort of chart that ranked gemstones by their hardness being depicted on it. A caption was listed underneath, stating that Earth gemstones ranking higher on the scale were generally more valuable. Unsurprisingly, diamonds appeared to be at the top.

"It says here that diamonds are the most highly-valued gems here on Earth." She looked up to the human girl again. "Is this correct?"

"Yeah, they're crazy expensive! A lot of people like giving them to their partners or certain family members for special occasions."

'Not surprising.'

"Hmm. It also says that they're "precious" stones? What exactly makes a gemstone qualify as precious?" Connie leaned over across the green Gem's lap, flipping over to the next page.

"Well, usually gems are considered precious if they're really rare. So, diamonds would fit into that category because they can only form under very specific conditions. I think the only other ones are rubies, sapphires, and emeralds." The young girl pointed to another diagram. "Every other type of gem is considered "semi-precious."

"Including peridots…" The Gem added, a tone of annoyance in her voice. Connie responded with a nod, causing the technician to let out a scoff. "Rude…"

"I don't make the rules." The human laughed. "Don't feel bad. I'm pretty sure it's just some silly marketing thing anyway."

"I would hope so. It seems rather silly and unbalanced to only consider four types of gems for this "precious" category." Peridot said in a mocking voice, emphasizing her point with air quotes.

"It's alright. That's just how it is on Earth." The girl readjusted her glasses a bit, Peridot finding it somewhat bizarre that they didn't appear to have lenses. "I'm sure your home planet has a different way of doing things?" She glanced up to the Gem, her expression seeming hopeful that Peridot would be willing to elaborate a bit for her.

The green Gem thought it over, briefly glancing upwards to some clouds passing by overhead. She supposed it wasn't surprising that the young human was interested in her home planet.

"No, not really. Homeworld does have a hierarchy, though it's not exactly reflective of this scale humans seem to use."

"Hmm. What is Homeworld's system like?" Connie gently moved the book from Peridot's lap to her own, flipping back to the previous page. "I know you said that each Gem has a specific job they're made for."

"Yes, that's correct. Each Gem is meant to excel in one specific area of expertise. Take Quartz Gems, for example. They are typically of a large build, towering over most other classes of Gem They're also tremendously strong. As one might expect, these traits make them excellent soldiers."

"I'd imagine they're some of the higher ranking Gems, or at least some of the more respected ones?" Connie inquired. Peridot nodded, glancing back down to the child.

"Indeed. Jaspers are the ones I am most accustomed to seeing but there are many other types. Agates, Amethysts, Aventurines, Carnelians, Chalcedonies, Citrines, Onyxes, the list goes on." The Gem answered, counting off the different varieties with her floating digits.

Connie listened intently, clearly invested in the conversation. It was certainly an interesting discussion, but she couldn't help also being curious about the Gem she was actually speaking to.

"I know this obviously doesn't have to do with Quartz Gems, but what about Peridots? Where do they fit into the system?" Connie inquired somewhat cautiously, knowing this might be a tender subject. The green Gem only seemed to shrug in response.

"Well, I'm still stranded here." She turned away, her arms folding over her chest. "I think that should give you enough of an idea." Connie sat quietly as the technician let out a sigh. "It's silly for me to feel as hurt as I do, I know that." The young girl looked like she wanted to interrupt but Peridot continued before she could. "But I guess you can't help it when you know your home thinks of you as being expendable."

"You don't…really agree with their views, do you?" Connie inquired in a quiet voice. The green Gem shrugged again, remaining silent for a few moments as she appeared to think it over.

"I suppose I don't really know what to think of myself at the moment." Her gaze turned heavenward again. "In the past, back before I was assigned to this mission, I actually felt like I was needed. That I was contributing to Gemkind in some way."

Peridot set her arms at her sides, using them to help her lie back into the grass so that she could gaze up at the sky. Her voice took on a somber tone. "I guess, in a way, part of me is just confused as to why Homeworld would be so willing to leave a hardworking, loyal Gem to her fate. It just seems…unfair that I am unable to do anything to help myself..."

Connie glanced over to her side, contemplating the other's words. "So, you don't feel like your voice matters much." She stated firmly. Peridot glanced at her out of the corner of her eye.

"That would be one way to put it." She let out a scoff. "Not that it ever really does…" Her gaze returned to the sky again, locking onto a specific area in the vast, empty space. It could not be seen at the moment, but once the sun set, Homeworld's galaxy would be in view. Just like it always was.

The sight of it was one of the few things that was keeping Peridot going at this point. It had helped her through countless dark nights on this planet, providing her with a temporary feeling of determination each time she laid eyes on it.

During one of those lonesome nights, she had made a promise to herself not to give up on her goal of reaching home again, and had come so close to breaking it a couple weeks ago when she'd had her realization about what Homeworld really thought of her and her class.

At the moment, she was wondering if she should finally do just that… Give up. And yet, before she could further contemplate the idea, Connie interrupted, a surprisingly cynical sounding scoff escaping her lips. One that Peridot would not have expected from the girl.

"I know how that feels…" Peridot felt her eyes widen slightly, sitting up from her previous position on the grass. "…When you feel like no one will listen to you or really cares about what you want." The Gem turned to look at the girl, her startled gaze momentarily narrowing.

"A few weeks before Steven found you, my mom confiscated Steven's mom's sword from me. She thought it was too dangerous for me to be using." She removed her glasses, or at least the empty frame that remained of them. "She hadn't known that Steven and Pearl had been training me in the art of sword fighting behind her back. Or that I had gone out of my way to make sure she never found out."

"You actually kept that a secret? From your superior?" Peridot sounded somewhat baffled at the idea of going up against an authority figure. On Homeworld, that could very well get a Gem shattered. Connie only nodded, not bothered by the technician's impersonal way of referring to her mother. She didn't exactly know any other to address her.

"I had to." She answered simply. "My parents barely ever let me do anything that I wanted to do. It was hard enough convincing them to let me play tennis." She sat for a few quiet moments, pulling her knees up to her chest and waiting to see if Peridot wanted to add anything.

"How did you retrieve the sword if your progenitor was so opposed to you having access to it?" The Gem questioned, one eyebrow raised. Connie remained silent for a little while longer before continuing.

"Steven and I followed her to the hospital where she works, and we ended up getting cornered by those Gem mutants that had ambushed you back at that Kindergarten place. We managed to fight them off after I took the sword from my mom, and I finally had to tell her everything." Peridot's narrowed expression still remained, but she nodded as the child continued.

"I was really scared about what she would do or say when she found out I had lied to her for over a year. She had thought she'd known everything about me. All my favorite hobbies. My daily schedule. My whole life." She shut her eyes. "And here I was, telling my own mother that she basically knew nothing about me." Peridot's hardened gaze softened a bit.

"But, as I found out, it ended up being for the better." The technician tilted her head to the side, her confusion evident.

"You weren't… punished?" Connie shook her head.

"No, my mother was in such shock that I don't think she could have even come up with a suitable punishment at the time." She chuckled. "Instead, my mom was finally willing to listen to me. She saw what I was capable of and she promised she'd let me make my own decisions. She still hasn't broken that promise. Same with my dad." Peridot glanced off to the side, contemplating the girl's story.

"Where are you going with this exactly?" Connie replaced her useless eyewear.

"Well, I guess what I'm trying to get at is that even if you feel helpless right now, things will get better. But only if you take action." Peridot let out a scoff, turning away from the girl in frustration.

"Yeah, easier said than done." Thoughts of the Cluster flashed to the front of the technician's thoughts but she pushed them back as best she could. She glanced back over to the young human when she continued speaking.

"I never said it would be easy to get there. But you'll make it, I promise." Connie placed one of her hands on the Gem's metallic arm. "You've got Steven and me here to help you out." She smiled up at the technician and Peridot slowly found herself returning it with a small smile of her own.

"Your words are much appreciated, Connie." She refocused her gaze back on the sky. "I certainly wish I possessed some of your bravery." The Gem let out a small laugh. "I'm sure that wasn't an easy thing to do." The human child nodded at her words.

"It wasn't. But like I said, things won't usually get better until you're willing to take action. "Peridot turned her head to the girl again, her gaze holding a glint of admiration and respect.

"You're quite remarkable, Connie. Steven certainly made a wise decision in placing his trust in you." The girl's eyes widened slightly, clearly surprised by the Gem's sincere compliment.

"Well, I'm glad I placed my own trust in him." She glanced down to the ground, suddenly taking interest in a small beetle making its way through the grass. "He's a good person." Peridot nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, he is." She looked out across the distant ocean, the Crystal Temple visible in the distance. "He really is." Her voice seemed to drift as she thought over the last couple weeks with the two children. How willing they were to help and befriend her. She should have pushed them away and yet had found herself unable to do it.

Steven and Connie had managed to worm their way into her heart, and they had made it clear to her that they were intent on staying there.

Peridot wrapped her arms around her legs, resting the side of her face on her knees. She closed her eyes, feeling the tears starting to brim for the first time in a couple weeks. The Gem felt as if her emotions were in turmoil. She had never had anyone display such affection for her. Coupling it with the stress of the Cluster's emergence as well as her desire to return home, Peridot didn't really know what to feel.

The Gem suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder, lifting her head and reopening her eyes to see Connie right beside her, giving her a look of both concern and understanding.

"You miss your home, don't you?" Peridot clenched her eyes shut and nodded.

"C-Could you tell?" The Gem attempted to keep the mood light, giving a somewhat forced smile as her voice wavered with the effort. Connie, of course, didn't fall for it.

"Hey. It's alright to feel homesick." Peridot expression hardened as she rubbed at her eyes with one of her metallic arms in a fit of frustration.

"I know that! It's just… so illogical. Homeworld doesn't care about me, not in the slightest." She glanced up at the sky again, her expression suddenly softening. "And yet…" She let out a sob. "… I-I miss it." More tears escaped her eyes as she slammed a fist on the ground, her frustration clear.

"Why am I like this? I shouldn't have these feelings for a place that doesn't care about the fact that I'm going to be destroyed along with the rest of this planet!"

It took the Gem a few moments to comprehend the words that had just come out of her mouth, her tearful eyes suddenly widening at the realization. Connie was silent, a stunned expression on her face.

"W-What?" She shook her head. "What do you mean?" Peridot couldn't seem to get any words out, her expression one of shock. She was panting lightly from her outburst, her mind attempting to tell her to not panic. To get it together.

Part of her wanted nothing more than to hide. To not have to face the child and the fact that she had failed to inform the two of the very real fact that they would inevitably die if they remained on this planet. Her mind however, the part of her operating on logic, was telling her it wouldn't do her any good. That there was no point in trying to hide such a thing anymore.

Steven and Connie were her friends. She cared about them both.

She…she loved them. And she couldn't let her own fear be the indirect cause of their deaths.

The Gem lifted her head, a sudden look of determination on her tear-stained face.

No.

She couldn't run from this anymore.

Peridot breathed out, bracing herself despite her fear. "Connie…" She took in a shaky breath. "I-I'm… sorry." Her voice hitched. "I was never supposed to get stuck here. I was never supposed to befriend either you or Steven." The girl didn't say anything, allowing the Gem to continue.

"The truth is… I was only meant to be here to check on one of Homeworld's projects." She breathed in deeply. "Do you remember… those Gem fusion experiments you and Steven s-saved me from a couple weeks ago?" Connie only gave a firm nod, her expression unreadable to Peridot. "At the c-center of your planet, there is another of these artificial fusions… One composed of millions of gem shards." She turned to the girl. "

"When it emerges and takes on its physical form… the Earth will cease to exist, along with all life that inhabits it." She turned to the girl once more, her expression a pained one. "And that includes y-you and Steven."

Connie slowly raised her hands to cover her mouth, her shock clear as she gazed at the Gem in stunned silence before finally finding herself able to speak.

"W-Why didn't you tell us? Why didn't you tell Steven…?" Peridot clenched her eyes shut, her teeth gnashing together."

"Because I was scared! I still am scared!" The Gem brought her metallic limbs up in front of her. Her cylindrical digits clenched into fists. "I didn't want to have to remember the fact that just as I was getting a taste of acceptance, I was going to lose it all!" Her voice quieted. "I-I didn't want to have to face the fact that I would lose you two because there's nothing I can do to save you. Not when I can't even save myself!"

Peridot and Connie remained silent for the next few moments, the only sounds being the small pants coming from the Gem as she attempted to calm herself. After a few more moments, Connie suddenly stood to her feet, turning away from the technician. Peridot lifted her head to speak up.

"If… if you hate me… for keeping this from you, I-I understand..." The young girl turned to face the Gem, her expression somber.

"I-I need to speak to Steven about this. It's… not that easy to hear that everything you love is in danger of being destroyed…" The green Gem nodded slowly, a sob escaping her.

With those words, the young girl made her way over to Lion. The feline stood to his feet and bowed, seemingly encouraging the girl onto his back. Connie gently stroked the feline's mane before carefully climbing up onto him. The two turned towards the Crystal Temple, their destination in sight. Peridot stood to her feet, turning away from them. She began to slowly walk away, finding herself incapable of facing the girl.

"And Peridot…" The Gem halted her steps but refused to turn around. "I don't hate you…"

And with that, they took off. Peridot finally turned to face them, watching them quickly fade into the distance. The Gem looked hopeful at the girl's words, despite the tears still falling from her eyes.

"I'm … I'm sorry, Connie." Peridot glanced over to the pile of books the two of them had previously been looking through.

"I'm so sorry…"

A/N: Yes, I am alive! I promise I didn't mean to leave you guys hanging for so long. I haven't in any way abandoned writing. I just fell out of a writing mood for quite a while. Thanks for sticking with this story. It means a lot!