~~~ (Y/N) POV ~~~

I woke up and headed to the Temple. I got there and saw the circle in the back of the temple flash as Pearl appeared.

Pearl: "O-oh, hi (Y/N). We are a little busy right now."

Garnet walked in and Pearl looked down, seemingly ashamed about something. They were gonna talk when someone burst through the door.

???: "Who wants to go on a road trip? Oh who is this?"

Pearl: "Hey Greg, this is (Y/N). They are very... special. If their gem origin is accurate, then technically, they might be Steven's.... half.... sibling? And our...... part... child? It is very complicated."

Greg: "Oh. Well, I need to head to the Keystone state, and someone is selling cheap car wash brushes."

Garnet: "I am coming along. And so is (Y/N)."

(Y/N): "Wait, I....."

Garnet: "Trust me, you can, and should join."

~~~ Time Skip ~~~

We made it to the motel late at night. I started to get worried that (A/N) might be worried about me. I sat on the ground as Steven jumped on the bed and Garnet sat on the other bed. A few seconds after Greg left to get the brushes, Garnet started to talk to herself. She started shaking, and grabbed her shoulders before glowing and splitting up.

???: "We must get past this Ruby."

Ruby: "She lied to us so she could form Sardonyx. She tricked us, don't you feel used?"

Steven: "Ruby, Sapphire."

Sapphire: "You're choosing to take it personally. "

Ruby: "It's fusion Sapphire! What's more personal to us then fusion!"

Sapphire: "I know, you're still upset."

Ruby: "Oh so it's just me!?"

Sapphire: "Of course not. Can't you see? I'm completely engulfed with rage."

Ruby: "Well it doesn't feel like it."

Sapphire: "The sooner we forgive Pearl, the better it will be for us all."

Ruby: "You're, not, as above this, as you think you are!"

Sapphire: "Yes. I am."

Sapphire: "You can't stay angry at her forever."

Ruby: "Wanna bet?"

Sapphire: "Ruby. The carpet."

I looked down to see the steam rising form the carpet under Ruby's feet. Ruby stormed off as I looked at Sapphire, judging her. Steven went outside to talk to Ruby. I stayed in to talk to Sapphire.

(Y/N): "You are being a jerk you know?"

Sapphire looked at me.

Sapphire: "You don't understand."

(Y/N): "Probably. But if you guys disagree so much, why be Garnet in the first place?"

Sapphire: "Because, we love each other. We are just fighting. She will eventually see that I am right."

(Y/N): "You sound like mom." I muttered, looking down. "So I am guessing you are the one with future vision? Yeah, I think Pearl told me something like that, Sapphires can lower temperature and see the future?"

Sapphire nods.

(Y/N): "Well, I used to go hiking with my parents a lot. Something they used to always say is, 'It's not always the destination, but usually, it's the journey that truly matters.' ... I hope you enjoy the journey."

I get up and walk out of the room to see Steven entering and a Ruby boiling the pool. I put my hand in and felt that it was fine, despite the bubbles. I got in and sat on the steps as Ruby paced. Eventually the water level lowered, so I moved a little farther down the steps as I heard Ruby ranting.

(Y/N): "You're right."

Ruby slows down.

Ruby: "Finally! Someone..."

(Y/N): "But so is she. Not as much right, but still right in some way. She's just being a jerk about it."

Ruby stood quiet, not sure whether to be angry that I am defending Sapphire, or happy that I am agreeing with her.

Ruby: "So what do you think?"

(Y/N): "Well, I don't know what's really going on. But I do know that it is unfair how she acts. She ignored the walk to the view, and skips right to it. She ignores the sight along the way. You stop to smell the roses, she tries to push you on, and you try to slow her down. You each enjoy the different aspects, but you need to find a common ground. And I think you are willing to do that, but Sapphire seems to be too focused on what's ahead of you guys to listen or think about what is around you right now."

The pool stopped bubbling, but it was already about 4 inches deep at this point.

Ruby: "So why I are you talking to me?"

(Y/N): "Because I told Sapphire something similar, but I just couldn't stand to be in the same room as her because of how she is acting. It really is like she doesn't care about now, only how things will be. Like a little girl waiting for the disaster to be over and for the family to just be together like everything is fine, when it's not."

Ruby looked at me and sat next to me. Steven exited the room, freezing cold.

Steven: "...To pee in the grass!?"

Ruby and I looked at him as he walked. Greg's van pulled up and he got out with pizza. He checked the room, and then saw Ruby and I sitting together.

~~~ Time Skip ~~~

We were sitting in the diner. I was next to Ruby, who sat next to Sapphire, since they were the smallest it was easier to fit next to, while Greg and Steven sat across from us. We were served breakfast. As we ate Ruby started to shake the table. When Sapphire pointed it out they started to argue. I looked down and stood up. Leaving my barely eaten breakfast. I started walking to the forest. After a bit I sat down on a tree stump and cried, thinking of Mom and Dad fighting all the time. Ever since I was hit by the car they started to see me differently. Even though I was their child they still didn't truly see me as their own. Like something was wrong with me. I knew why they sent me away. It was so that I don't have to be around them as they fought, and so that they could work it out without me, their little freak.

~~~ Sapphire POV ~~~

Ruby smashed the table angrily as she went on her little rage rant. Steven smashed his plate on the ground as Ruby and I stared at him as he left. We rushed after him.

Ruby/Sapphire: "Steven!"

Steven: "I was so happy when Garnet said she was gonna come on this trip with me and dad! Home's been awful! Here's been awful! I thought you wanted to have a fun time, but everyone's been acting awful too! It just came with us! I don't understand! Is it!? Is it me?"

Ruby: "No. Steven it's all us."

Sapphire: "But we made him feel like it was his fault. I keep looking into the future when all of this has already been solved, as if it doesn't matter how you feel in the present. No wonder you think I don't care."

I start to tear up then realize something.

Sapphire: "That's what (Y/N) meant. They told me, it wasn't about the destination, it was the journey. But I didn't listen, I just thought they missed their home."

Ruby/Sapphire: "Wait! (Y/N)! Where did they go?!"

Steven, Ruby and I went wide eyed as we realized (Y/N) left before Steven did.

~~~ (Y/N) POV ~~~

I had gotten up from the stump and continued to walk through the forest. I had stopped crying, but I was still sad. I climbed a tree and sat on a branch, bringing my knees to my chest and burying my face in my knees.

~~~ Garnet POV ~~~

As we searched for (Y/N) Ruby and Sapphire made up and fused. I continued to look for (Y/N) until I saw icicles on a tree. I looked up to see (Y/N) on a branch, curled up.

Garnet: "(Y/N). We're sorry if we upset you. Are you okay?"

They looked down at me and then nodded, before looking forward.

Garnet: "Come down. We need to take you home."

(Y/N) nodded before jumping down from the tree.

~~~ (Y/N) POV ~~~

I had jumped down from the tree, and we were walking to Greg and Steven. I was ready to go home now. We got in Greg's van and drove back to Beach City. I got out and walked back to my aunt's place to talk to her. I opened the door and she got up, her face of worry turned to relief.

(A/N): "Oh thank goodness you're alright. Where have you been?"

(Y/N): "Well. Kind of, the, Keystone state."

(A/N) relief turned to that of shock and worry again.

(A/N): "W-what?"

(Y/N): "Sorry. It was a big rush thing. Something happened."

(A/N): "You can't just go on a trip like that without talking to me, you shouldn't even be going without my supervision!"

(Y/N): "My new friends were there."

(A/N): "I think I should meet these new friends. What are their names."

(Y/N): "Well, there's Amethyst, Pearl, Steven, and Garnet."

(A/N): "Well those are some, nice, names."

(Y/N): "They call their group the crystal gems. And they want me to join, but I said I should ask you first."

(A/N): "Well I should probably meet them first."

I nod as I head to bed.

~~~ Time Skip ~~~

I woke up and headed downstairs. I walked up to (A/N).

(Y/N): "You ready to meet my friends?"

(A/N) nodded.

(A/N): "Yes I am, let me just get my purse and we will be on our way."

I nod as I go to the door, ready to open it for her. We walked out and I guided her to Steven's temple house.

(A/N): "This is an interesting... home.... Is it structurally stable?"

(Y/N): "It should be, and seems like it. I would give it a ten out of ten, would visit again."

I gave a thumbs up as we knocked on the door.

Steven: "Come in!"

We entered as (A/N) looked around.

(Y/N): "Hey Steven, this is my Aunt, (A/N)."

Steven came down the stairs.

Steven: "Hello (A/N)."

(A/N): "Hello, Steven, was it?"

He nodded. The circle in the back of the house glowed as Garnet, Pearl, and Amethyst came back. (A/N) went wide eyed.

(A/N): "Wow, (Y/N). You never told me that your friends were so unique.... and mature."

She said, mostly eyeing Garnet and Pearl.

Pearl: "Oh, you must be (Y/N)'s Aunt, nice to meet you."

Amethyst: "What up?"

Garnet: "...Hi."

(A/N): "Um. You guys seem very.... interesting. Are you guys, what they call, cosplayers?"

Pearl: "Oh heavens no. We are just how you humans call, aliens."

(A/N) stayed silent looking at them.

(A/N): "I see. I hear (Y/N)'s been hanging around with you guys quit often. They don't come home bruised, so I must say they seem fairly safe with you guys, my only problem is how late they stay up. And at one point there was an out of state trip, now.... hold on, (Y/N), can you go outside for a bit?"

I nod as I leave. I sat on the beach as they continued their conversation.

~~~ (A/N) POV ~~~

(A/N): "Okay now. What kind of authority did you think you have when you let (Y/N), the child of my brother, go with you, out of state, far far away from any family they have?"

Garnet: "It was inevitable."

(A/N): "What is that supposed to mean?"

Garnet: "It means that of the many timeline, and the many choices they would have made, they would have ended up in that van, of their own free will, either way. Fate said so."

(A/N): "And you can tell that? I don't think so, but that still doesn't give you the right to kidnap (Y/N) like that!"

Pearl: "We did not kidnap. Greg did, but it still wasn't kidnapping."

(A/N): "I am not sure I want my (Y/N) to be hanging around with you misfits."

Pearl: "But we are the only one's who understand them... well mainly Steven, but still."

(A/N): "What do you mean by that hogwash?"

Pearl: "Them being part gem is what we mean. Steven is the only other part gem part human on this plant... that we know of that is."

(A/N): "(Y/N) is not part, part alien!"

Pearl: "Oh really? Then what is that under their eye patch?"

(A/N): "What do you mean? Their eye was stabbed out by some lunatic. There's nothing but a disfigured eye ball under there."

Pearl: "Wait. So you haven't seen under it? Why wouldn't they tell their own aunt?"

I went to the door and call (Y/N) to come here.

(A/N): "Hey, (Y/N) I am sorry but can you tell these people about what happened to your eye?"

I expected them to tell the story. I didn't want to have to put them on the spot like this, but it was for the best. I look at them, and they were just looking down.

~~~ (Y/N) POV ~~~

I looked down, not really sure what to do.

(Y/N): "I'm sorry. Mom and Dad told me not to take off my eye patch. They told me to lie."

I looked at (A/N), who was worried and slightly horrified as I slowly took off my eye patch, showing what was underneath.

(A/N): "(Y/N). What? What happened to you? What are you?"

I stayed quiet as she ran away. I stood there. Unsure what to do.