The Escape

"Steven you gotta leave town," his father looked frightened. "Connie was found by the boardwalk stabbed several times. She's at the hospital and she's claiming you did it."

Steven stared at his father standing in the doorway. He blinked. Not missing a beat Peridot carried the luggage to the warp pad. Then she looked down.

"Could you say that again?" asked the young man.

"Steven, these geniuses just damaged the warp pad. We can't leave this way," shouted Peridot.

Greg stared at Peridot screaming and cursing at the warp pad.

"Steven why are you already packed?" Greg asked softly.

"Peridot and I had enough of living with the gems. We were going to stay with you until we could get a place of our own. Now could you tell me, what's this about Connie?" asked Steven.

"Mr. Smiley found Connie in the back alley of his arcade, Steven it's really bad. Connie's in emergency and her father is hunting you down. You gotta go now here take the keys to the van." His father by this time was desperate.

Steven could hear the sirens of the police cars as they came closer and closer. He snatched his father's keys and pulled Peridot down the stairs. Waiting below them was his Dad's van. As they got inside they saw the police cars turn onto the beach. Steven started driving he saw a wall of police cars on the other side. He felt a small hand on his.

"I'll take it from here," said Peridot.

When Doug Maheswaran saw his daughter in the hospital he was out for blood. When it was safe, her mother and Doug entered intensive care. It broke his heart to see his precious daughter looking so small on the bed.

"Daddy," whispered Connie. She raised her hand

Priyanka had seen many injuries in her time but with her daughter it was different. She sobbed into her hands as Doug came closer.

"Daddy it was Steven. Him and Peridot, she put him up to it. I was, I was when he tried to rape me," said Connie. "Then Mr. Smiley came and he ran off."

Doug stroked his daughter's hair, "Ssh honey don't strain yourself, I'll make sure he never hurts anyone ever again."

As Connie closed her eyes Doug stood straight up. Without saying a word, he marched straight out of the hospital. When he was a safe distance he called the station.

"Hello this is Officer Maheswaran, get as many cars as you can and meet me at the temple. We need to take down the Universe boy," said Doug coldly. If it was the last thing he did he would make Steven pay for what he did.

When the squad cars reached the beach. Doug could see Greg's van parked in front of the temple. As Steven's father no doubt he was trying to protect his son. As the cars got closer he could the large form of Steven and his freakish girlfriend enter the van and attempt to drive off in the other direction. It took a little longer to organize this takedown but it was perfect. The men from Ocean town had set up a blockade of cars on the other side if the beach. Doug drove in for the kill.

Steven was about to stop when he saw the wall of cop cars when he felt Peridot's hand on his.

"I'll take it from here," said Peridot. "Just keep driving."

The technician closed her eyes and concentrated. Steven felt the car rise as it went forward. As it flew over the cop cars, some of the cops stepped out of their cars not quite believing what they were seeing. Steven looked out the window. Below them the Beach City police raced to meet the Ocean Town cops. Steven felt a bullet whiz by his cheek. They were actually shooting at them. He stuck his head in. Peridot still had her eyes closed.

"So where are we going?" he asked.

"Just drop your cellphone and drive to the barn," ordered Peridot.

Pearl watched Greg's van fly over the police blockade. As if were bad luck or karma a small object fell from the van and hit Doug Maheswaran on the head, knocking the fool down. As the van flew inland Pearl knew that she could very well not see Steven again. She turned to face Garnet.

"Well that was a complete and unmitigated disaster," said Pearl. "Thanks to your flawless plan even if Steven does get away from the cops he'll never want to speak to us again."

"Training Connie was your idea," said Garnet stonily.

"Maybe so but you were the one to force Steven and Connie together. You wanted to train Steven to be some sort of warrior. Looks like now your precious war's put on hold."

"I don't have to take this," said Garnet with that she walked back into the temple.

"Yeah run away. Just like you always do when something goes wrong," shouted Amethyst after the fusion.

Pearl turned to Greg, "Look Greg, I'm sorry about all that's happened. You can stay here until you find a place of your own.

To: Starchilde

From: Starchildejunoir

Subject: It's just one thing after another

Hi Dad:

It's Steven. I would have called you but Peridot insisted I throw away our cellphones. Well after we landed the van, Peridot passed out. I guess the strain of lifting the van was too much for her. So I drove the van to the farm where Bismuth was staying. I was hoping to stay there and lay low until all this blows over but there was no such luck. As I drove up the farm, there was a police car waiting for us. Dad it was scary, without warning the cops started shooting at us. I swear they were trying to kill us. Bismuth had enough. She marched right up to the police car and smashed the engine. As the cops came out to deal with her she broke the shooting arm of one of the cops. I knocked out the other cop with my shield but I could hear the sirens of the rest of the cops.

I didn't know what to do I just reacted, Dad. I drove the van onto the farm's warp pad and thought of where I wanted to go. I would like to tell you where we went but Peridot insisted that I do not give anything about our location away. But what I can tell you is there was a lot of gem tech. Once I had parked the van in a safe spot, I waited for Peridot to wake up.

It was over two hours, Dad, before she awoke. When she did, she was groggy, out of it. I made us something to eat and when she was a little better, we explored the site. Peridot found and fixed up a light chamber. She stayed in there for half the day.

Then it was time to tend my needs. Peridot did a quick checkup of the van, filled it up with water and repainted it. This is where it gets scary. We found our way out of the site and onto a road. We were miles away from any water or civilization so we drove. Then when the sun was beating down in the middle of the desert the van broke down 20 miles away from the town or a mechanic. We tried flagging down a car but there was nothing. I didn't feel comfortable leaving Peridot behind. She was still so weak and it was the middle of nowhere. So I transformed into a horse and we rode into town.

As I went looking for a mechanic my girl Peridot found an ATM but the thing was busted. Her credit card was still working and we managed to pay for a tow truck to drag the van into town. Now we're just outside of town limits camping in the van.

Hope it talk to you when things look up

Love Steven.

To: Starchildejunior

From: Starchilde

Subject: Dammed irregular

Hi Son:

I hope this email finds you well. I'm staying with the gems right now. Pearl and Amethyst put up walls in your room. It seems kinda weird they didn't do this sooner. The Beach house isn't the same without you. Amethyst sits and watches these weird programs on TV, Pearl is out most of the time and Garnet is holed up in the temple.

After the cops left I decided to do some poking around. Apparently there are some major holes in Connie's story. She claims that you and Peridot attacked at 1 am and then ran off when Mr. Smiley found her but the doctors say she had been bleeding for at least a couple of hours before she was found. Then Sadie handed in a videotape of Connie assaulting Peridot and Lars that day. The tape has mysteriously disappeared. Steven, Doug Maheswaran blames you for what happened to his daughter and he's convinced the entire police department in the county of your guilt despite mounting evidence against this. All I can say is that there's something fishy going on.

Love Dad

To: Starchilde

From: Starchildejunoir

Subject: Settling In

Hi Dad,

Wouldn't you know it the ATM started working after we paid for the tow truck. Well after spending most of our money on car repairs and setting up camp we needed to earn some money. We looked around town a little and Peridot spotted a help wanted sign at a nearby diner. We went in and found that they were looking for a new waitress and a part time fry cook. Apparently the head fry cook likes to drink a little too much. They hired Peridot and me on the spot. The hours are long, the pay is bad but at least the owner pays in cash no questions asked. The first thing we did after we got our pay was to buy a used motorbike.

When we are not working, Peridot and I are exploring the gem site. Peridot is scrounging for gem tech to make some modifications to the van so that it is more livable. So far we have set up a small windmill beside the van to provide us electricity and made some modifications to the bike so that it can't break down or run out of gas.

I would like to tell you more about the town. Where we are or even what we are doing but I am starting to get as paranoid as Peridot is. She has made it so that our email is passing through a dozen satellites so that it can't be traced. Dad I miss the sound of your voice, my friends and Beach City but after all that's happened I don't think I can return. Even if the charges are cleared there's still the bad blood between the Crystal Gems and me not to mention Peridot. We don't want to go back into that toxic environment again. I love you Dad but it will be a long time before we can see you.

Love Steven

To: Starchildejunior

From: Starchilde

Subject: Common Sense is Out the Window

Hello Steven:

Things are getting bad here. Doug Maheswaran is still out for your blood despite the ever increasing evidence to the contrary. First off the day after you escaped, the cops marched us down to the police station. After sworn statements from the gems stating your activities the day Connie was assaulted (You sure have some stamina) their testimony was thrown out because and I quote 'These beings are not human and cannot be trusted in a court of law'. Then there's the fact that there are huge holes in Connie's story. She says that you stabbed her with one of Pearl's swords but there are splinters of wood in her injuries like she was stabbed with a stick of some sort. Then there's the fact that her injuries don't match up with that of a sexual assault victim's. She's looking more and more like a liar. Still someone did hurt her but as I found out she has plenty of enemies.

Pearl is furious not only at what she sees as Connie's betrayal, but at the fact that her friend Bismuth was arrested. She spends most of her time at the barn trying to take care of the corrupted gems.

After a surprise inspection from a health inspector at the ice cream shop, I contacted a lawyer and explained our situation. Mr. Statton is top notch. He did some probing and didn't like what he saw. For starters he found that Connie is not as innocent as she seems. She has a lifetime ban not only at the Big Donut for attacking a customer with a sword but also at the Buddy Budwick Library for injuring a librarian. He also found that the stab wounds on Connie suggest that she was stabbed by a much smaller person than you. He was onto to something when he suddenly had a massive heart attack. The man jogs every day and drinks wheatgrass, he's the last person you'd expect to get a heart attack.

Anyway I was pouring my misery out to Barb and she said what has been happening is weird. First off Doug is a laughing stock at Beach City PD and yet he who is steps away from getting fired is being listened to and respected. Then there's the fact that there are so many suspects yet despite mounting evidence to the contrary you are still their main suspect. Doug wants to start a nationwide man hunt for you, so where ever you are please keep your head low.

Love Dad

To: Starchildejunior

From: PurplePuma

Subject: Coup at the temple

Hey Little Man:

Now don't get mad but I looked at your Dad's email. There was nothing on Gem TV so I took a peek at your Dad's emails. It opened my eyes dude, I was feeling all sorry for myself when I read about the bad luck that you were having and how weird the cops are behaving. Then I remembered what Pearl said about Garnet being able to put the bad mojo on the enemy during the war so I went up to the barn and showed her the emails myself.

Man, I have never seen Pearl so pissed in my life. As soon as took one look at the emails she started cursing and screaming. Some of those swearwords I have never heard in my life. Steven, Pearl may not be fond of Peridot but she would gladly kill anyone who harmed you. When she had calmed down enough she got Jasper and me and marched right into the temple.

We found Garnet sitting in the lotus position in her room. Let me tell you it was creepy, there were all these mirrors and photos of herself everywhere. Garnet even had like some sort of throne in there too with a crown and junk. Pearl as soon as she saw this looked like was ready to kill. Remember that time when Peridot insulted Rose on the moon? This was ten times worse.

Then Pearl pulled out this bad ass spear I had never seen before. She gave the signal and we attacked. The fight was intense. I mean Garnet she's the strongest gem I know and there was Pearl fighting like a possessed gem. Throughout the fight Garnet was talking some real bad shit saying like how we were all failures, that Pearl should go kill herself now that she had no one to serve. She even called me stupid. Well, we were sick of her I'm so perfect attitude that it made us just fight harder. Then Pearl skewered her right to the temple wall. I can remember what Pearl said next quite clearly.

"Listen here you perverted pair of megalomaniacs you can put us down, even beat us but when you harm my Steven you've gone way too far."

Garnet just smirked, "He's Rose's son not yours."

Pearl just lost it, "Yes he is my son. I'm the one who took care of him, who kept his home, worried about him and taught him. I did everything you asked because I trusted you and now you're using your power to hurt him. Well it ends now goodbye Garnet."

Then she splits Garnet right in two. She would have shattered Sapphire if I didn't stop her. I ended up bubbling both Ruby and Sapphire. I've hidden them somewhere safe until Pearl calms down. Now Pearl is in charge. She sent me to retrieve Centipeedle and her crew. Nephrites were technicians and Pearl wants to cure them ASAP.

Talk to you later

Amethyst

To: Starchildejunior

From: Starchilde

Subject: Common Sense Returns

I go out to work and I come back to an entirely different household. There's some sort of dog thing sitting on the couch, Amethyst is actually out of the house and Pearl is now in charge. Apparently while I was gone Pearl staged a coup and poofed Garnet.

Things are different in Beach City too. There is this huge investigation regarding Connie's case. Doug has been suspended pending an investigation of his handling of his daughter's case. The entire county police department is under investigation and the police chief has been fired due to procedural irregularities. I mean what were they thinking about letting the victim's father head the investigation in the first place? I mean Doug isn't even a qualified detective he's just a gloried mall cop.

It all started when Sadie confessed to stabbing Connie, again. Apparently the first time was the day after your police chase at the Beach City Police Station. Despite the fact that Connie had seriously injured Lars the day before, her confession was laughed off and she was free to go. The second time happened just after they posted your profile and details of Connie's assault on the local news. Sadie seeing that you were now a wanted man marched straight into Surf town's police station after a day of surfing. She wanted to enjoy one last day of freedom before going to jail.

Well this time she was listened to. There was a complete scandal. They've sent in a team to investigate corruption in the Beach City Police Department about the treatment of your case. The Maheswarans are now pariahs particularly Connie. After she got out of the hospital, a bunch of her classmates beat her up again. Connie was quite the terror at school.

I feel sorry for Mrs. Maheswaran. She's being blamed for her daughter's behavior in all this. As I was passing through I saw a for sale sign on their house. So it looks like Connie's assault case is closed and you're in the clear. Please come back home to us.

Love your father.

To: Starchilde

From: Starchildejunior

Subject: Hello from Rossmore

Hi Dad:

After you sent out that email Peridot and I did a little checking up on Connie's case. Well actually Peridot hacked into the Beach City police database. I looked up the Beach City Gazette. It's quite the scandal isn't. I am still furious at Connie in all this.

Well now that Sadie has confessed I am now free to tell you where we are. We're at Rossmore, a small town in Nova Mexico about 40 miles from the Beata Kindergarten. Only here it is known at the Canyon of Souls. The town was the site of a historic crash of an alien vehicle over 50 years ago. At least that's what the lore says. Rossmore has cashed in on this and everything is alien themed. The diner that Peridot and I work at is shaped like a flying saucer and all the waitresses wear costumes. That's how Peridot was able to get her job. There are frequent blackouts in town, probably due to the army testing facility nearby.

We have settled in quite nicely but yesterday we had quite the scare. The sheriff a middle aged woman came right up to our camp. She asked politely how long did we think we were staying. I had to signal to Peridot not knock out the lady but if it was one day sooner we would have knocked her out and moved to Mask Island or something. I answered that we were planning to stay for quite some time.

Sheriff Bertram sighed, "I can see you guys haven't had it easy. Let me guess things were bad at home. Maybe your parents didn't want to you see each other? So you bought this van and drove out here so you could be together. You seem like nice kids but I don't feel comfortable with you two living in a cramped van by the highway."

Then Peridot laughed, "Oh we're not cramped. Come inside and we'll show you."

So Peridot opens the back door of the van and shows Sheriff Bertram the modifications. Peridot had unfolded the 4th dimension in the van. In layman's terms it is bigger on the inside than on the outside. The expression on the Sheriff's face was priceless. Then house proud Peridot gives her a guided tour showing her the kitchen, the living room and the master bedroom.

After Peridot was done Sheriff Bertram said, "This was fine but to please move your van into the nearby trailer park so we won't be charged with vagrancy."

So now, on top of food we add rent to our expenses. Dad as soon as we get some money I will buy a cellphone and call you. Even though it is safe to go back to Beach City, Peridot and I will not be returning for quite some time. There is a lot of bad blood between the Crystal Gems and Peridot and me and it will not be clearing up anytime soon. You are welcome to visit anytime you wish. Perhaps at Thanksgiving after the tourist season ends.

Will call you as soon as I can.

Love Steven

To: Starchildejunior

From: PurplePuma

Subject: I'm Sorry

Hello Steven:

It's Pearl. Amethyst is helping type this email right now. You no doubt have heard the news about me poofing Garnet. Well it's true. Garnet was using her probability manipulation to hurt you and Peridot. I won't go into the details but I realize that throughout the years that we were hurting you.

I just want to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry I treated you like a child, I'm sorry I kept you in the dark and I'm sorry for trying mold you into something you're not. I have always tried to protect you but I realize now I wanted to keep your image of us and your mother perfect. We kept your ignorant of Earth culture and of Gem culture, in an effort to keep you innocent. In my eyes you were my baby and I treated you as such. You are not the great warrior your mother was and to frank that is the last thing we need.

Your father found a small apartment in town and is now living there. The Beach house was a temporary set up and he just didn't feel at home here. I realize you have made a home wherever you are but I hope that you will eventually forgive me and call me sometime.

Love Pearl

To: PurplePuma

From: Starchildejunior

Subject: Not Enough

You two need to apologize to Peridot before I will talk to you.

To: Starchildejunior

From: PurplePuma

Subject: Alright

Fine give me Peridot's email address.

To: PurplePuma

From: Starchildejunior

Subject: Peri's email

Here's it is. Remember you hurt her far more than you did me.

GreatGreenRepairGoddess

To: GreatGreenRepairGoddess

From: PurplePuma

Subject: I'm sorry

Hello Peridot:

This has been a long time coming but I wanted to say I'm sorry. For years we Crystal Gems neglected, if not downright abused you. When you came to Earth you were a youngling who was only obeying orders. Homeworld has always been ruthless and prizes that quality so it is no wonder you sent a ship to eliminate us. Any gem would in your position.

The fact of the matter was that it was easy to paint you as a villain and blame all our problems on you. As a team we were falling apart, I blamed you for some of the actions I did while we were hunting you down. Even several years later I couldn't admit the good qualities you had. What was strategic thinking I saw as deceit, what was resourcefulness I saw a slipperiness and what was bravery I saw as stubbornness.

Even after we captured you and you helped save the Earth I saw you as a threat. I observed Steven's growing romantic interest in you and tied to stop it. I was the one to convince Garnet to leave you behind at the barn with Lapis. It was petty but I saw you replacing me in Steven's heart. I justified in my mind by saying you were a coward, that you were weak.

What we did to you was inexcusable. You were a growing child just like Steven and we treated you like a prisoner. In my day Gems came out fully developed but I have witnessed the growth of two young gems with my own eyes. I chose to ignore the signs, even when it was obvious to humans what you were.

Amethyst would like to apologize for teasing you and making you feel small and weak for all those years. She also apologies for placing tacks on the barn floor as a joke but she is glad Lapis got hurt as well.

Bismuth was finally released from jail and the charges dropped. She misses you at the barn. As for me I have gained a whole new level of respect for what you did with the corrupted gems. I did not know that Homeworld had developed healing substrate. It makes Steven's healing powers redundant.

Peridot in the time I have known you, you have grown into a strong powerful gem within your own right. You did this on your own without any guidance or support from us. It is no wonder that Steven fell in love with you. No child should grow up alone and that is our greatest sin.

I'm so very sorry

Pearl

It was late at night. Greg had just finished closing shop and was settling down for the night at his new home, when he heard his cellphone ring. He put the phone to his ear not knowing who it was.

"Dad, is that you?" asked a familiar voice.

"Steven, oh I am so glad to her your voice. How's it going?" cried Greg.

"Oh fine, Peri is making me take my GED equivalency. She's made me quit my job, not that there was a lot of work for me. We've started our own business, repairing well, anything. I act as the front man and Peridot does the repairs in the back. We're making a little bit more money now…"

Greg smiled as he listened to his son talk about his new life.