Sorry about the long wait for an update. April has just been such a damn busy month for me! Every time I sit down to edit, something comes up.

I just want write and draw! (┛◉Д◉)┛彡┻━┻

Okay, enough of my excuses, let's roll on with the good times!

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A bright laugh bubbled up from Pink's chest, breaking the natural silence of the room as she was finally settling back into her command chair for the day. The smile had barely left her face for a moment, not since her Zirconia had returned, and their long talk that had managed, when nothing else had worked, to eased both her heart and mind.

It felt...well, it felt amazing, she felt amazing. Like a weight she had never known even existed had been lifted after repairing what she thought had been long burnt bridges with her daughter. Of course, she knew not everything was fixed, or could be mended with a few words and tears, but it was a start and one she was glad to be given.

Truely, she hadn't realized until she had started crying upon Zirconia's return just how much she had built up, or left unattended so she could focus on Earth and the rebellion. She had packed so much away, ignored or down right denied she felt one way or another, anyone could have foreseen it would only be a matter of time before the callously stacked pile of problem would come crashing down on her. Her only grievance was that it had come crashing down at Zirconia's feet as well, but her daughter, in all the ways she still amazed her, had dealt with it in such a grown manner. She certainly seemed to be more put together than Pink was in that moment.

As bright and strong as the Diamond she looked up to, much to Pink's, initial, dismay. As much as Pink disliked the thought, she had to acknowledge all of Yellow's meddling had given Zirconia the stepping stones to be such a strong diamond. Well, certainly not all Yellow. She would never give the older Diamond so much credit, her ego didn't need the help. A lot of it was Zirconia herself, and her own strength and motivation. Her darling Zirconia had blossomed into such a fine young gem, everything Pink had ever hope and dreamed for her, and yet somehow more.

"You seem happy, my Diamond." Pearl observed out loud, gaining Pink's attention, her large smile and bright eyes turning to her pearl.

"I am." The Diamond confirmed, "Zirconia has returned to us. I know it's only for a little while, but..." Pink sighed blissfully, relaxing further into the cool back of her chair, "I feel so weightless, I could float away. My daughter is here with me. I hadn't realized how much I was really missing her until now."

"I'm glad to see you so happy." Pearl's lips curled to mirror Pink Diamond's own smile, "Orange Diamond seems to be as well."

"I know, isn't it great?" Another giggle escaped her lips that she made no attempt to conceal, "I've never seen her take such a keen interest in the Earth, she's getting along so well with everyone, and, oh Pearl," the diamond leaned into the side of the chair, arm propped up while she rested her cheek into her palm, "I'm so glad to have her back." she paused as realization crossed her face, another giddy snicker, "I keep saying that, don't I? I'm sorry."

"Don't be, my Diamond. It is, well, it is nice to see you in such a good mood. You haven't exactly been..." Pearl hesitated before adding, "Even the rebels had begun to notice you were upset."

Pink sat a little straighter, her smile falling some, "I didn't realize they were talking-"

"No, no!" Pearl waved her hands, cutting her diamond off before she could continue, "Nothing like that! They are just," Pearl paused, considering her words carefully, "Concerned. They see you as Rose, and you were so subdued, but it's okay!" Pearl forced a wide smile in an attempt to reverse where she accidentally take their conversation. "I simply explained to them the war has been tough on us all. They understand, everything is fine. Its nothing to worry about, nothing to worry about at all."

"Thank you, my Pearl." Pink reached out, touching Pearl's face affectionately, the smaller gem's cheeks burning at her words and touch. "What would I do without you?"

"Oh, Its nothing, my diamond. really." Pearl turned her eyes away from Pink's, her cheeks still tinged blue as she continued to speak, "The rebels were just worried. Rose is their leader, what we do would not be possible without you."

"Yes...Rose Quartz." Pink hands slipped from her face as she leaned back, turning to look out the glass dome across from her desk, the Earth appearing to be half perched on the flat, gray marble. "But they don't have to worry anymore." Pink's lips quirked up, "Everything will be fine now."

"Because Orange is back?" Pearl questioned.

"No, well yes." The diamond paused, her head bent down for a moment as she debated how to explain herself to her friend. Taking a breath through her parted lips, Pink turned in her chair to face Pearl, her hands moving from the chair's arms to comfortably rest in her lap. "Pearl, you know how much Zirconia means to me." She paused for a moment as Pearl nodded, "I have become accustomed to her being away from me for periods of time. But..."

Pearl leaned forward, placing a comforting hand onto Pink's. The diamonds eyes looked down at the small hand, the stark contrast of Pearl's almost white skin and her pink gloves keeping her eyes there for a moment before she flipped her hand, holding her hand in her own gently, grateful for her small kindness.

Pink looked back up at Pearl, the smile she had flattened out some at the more seriousness of their topic, "The way we parted last time, and with White's intervention so that she was staying with her...I was unsure when i'd see her again. You know how she is," Pink paused a moment, aware that White was neither of their favorite topics, perhaps more so for her pearl than herself. "I don't doubt she may love her, in her own way, but she doesn't understand Zirconia. Not like how we do. She could kill her, and not even mean to, because she doesn't accept that Zirconia isn't fully a gem. I feared i'd never see her again when I called White and I heard nothing from Zirconia after."

Pearl's thin eyebrows pulled together, "You thought Orange had been killed and White wasn't telling you."

Tears pooled in the diamond's eyes, "I didn't know what had happened, except that she had made White angry, and she is far from as rational as she likes to believe she is when she's angry. I have never been able to reason with her like that, no one has. If she really did try to punish Zirconia like I was, she wouldn't stand a chance. No matter how strong Zirconia becomes, I don't believe she could ever stand up against White Diamond."

Pearl sucked in a silent breath, "You believe Orange may have to fight White Diamond one day?"

"No, no, Pearl." Pink shook her head lightly, a humorless smile curled her lips and crinkled the sides of her eyes, "That's not what i meant."

Thin eyebrows turning up, Pearl gave her a look that conveyed her confusion, "I'm sorry, my diamond, but I don't understand."

"I'm mincing my words. What I'm trying to say," Pink huffed, "Is that without knowing where Zirconia was, how she was doing...if I would even get to see her again. I was suffering, Pearl, not knowing. If she was alive, if I would get to apologize, if i would even get to see her grow up." Pink's free hand moved from her lap to cup her gem as a wave of coldness settled low in her belly, "Not knowing was destroying me."

"Oh." Pearl looked down at their still linked hands and hesitantly offered Pink a light squeeze with her own, "And now you know for certain where you and Orange Diamond stand."

"I know that i have her back, and things aren't as bad as i had imagined." A moment longer, and Pink pulled her hand away, sitting back and situating herself to be properly in her chair. Reaching forward, Pink made a motion with her hand to bring up a screen to work on. Nimble fingers typed a few commands on it, bringing up actual work she had been neglecting that Yellow would surely lecture her for being late with. "And it has been wonderful having her back here. If i'm being honest, I have no real reason to be here if she isn't."

Pearl was quiet a moment as she considered her words. "The Moon Base does seem livelier," She conceded, "and the Amethyst seem quite fond of having her...challenges between their assigned work. There has been a significant rise in moral on base."

Pink perked up, cocking her head slightly to address Pearl, lips curving up in a small smile as she recalled her first time actually witnessing the young Diamond wrestling with the soldiers stationed there. "Has it? I was a little worried. I know she didn't mean to but, after what happened with her pearl...I guess i'm just naturally a little worried something might happen, and seeing her knock one of them to the ground was surprising!" Still trying to work, Pink turned her eyes back to the screen while she motioned with her free hand, gesturing animatedly as she spoke fondly, "I thought she might hurt them, on accident of course! But she was so attentive to when they had enough, and they looked so happy with her. I can tell they don't like the work Yellow has me giving them. I imagine they miss being back on Earth."

The corner of Pearl's lips pulled back, her eyes cutting away from Pink, "She certainly has a way with the soldiers, I suppose."

Catching something in her tone, Pink's hand stilled as she turned her eyes to Pearl, catching her expression before she could smooth it out completely. "Is there something wrong, Pearl?"

"My Diamond?" Pearl's eyes widened, her cheeks tinting a pale blue at having been caught making a face, "I don't know what you mean."

Hand falling away from her desk, Pink sat up straighter and turned her head to give Pearl her full attention. Tilting her chin down, she gave the smaller gem an imploring look, "You seem...put off. Tell me, what's wrong?"

Eyes cutting away from the diamond, Pearl shrunk under her diamond's eyes, her words getting caught in there throat as she considered the repercussions of speaking them. "It is nothing, My Diamond, merely concerns about..."

"About?"

Taking a deep breath, Pearl looked back at Pink and squared her shoulders, keeping her hands clasped in front of her in a familiar pose, more for her own comfort than respect. "My Diamond, I must point out...Well, what will you do when the Rebels need you? How will you escape without Orange Diamond's notice?"

Eyes blinking for a moment as she processed Pearl's words, her shoulders fell with her expression, eyebrows turning up as she let out a small, "Oh."

"My Diamond?"

"They do need Rose Quartz..." Pink gave a short nod, taking a moment to think about the posed problem. "But things have been quiet at the moment and Yellow isn't ready for another attack." Another nod, as if confirming her own words, "We have time."

Pearl's eyebrows pinched together, her mouth falling open at Pink's easy dismissal of the problem, "But-"

"Don't worry." offering her a kind smile, Pink waved Pearl off, "If something happens, we will figure it out then."

Shoulders dropping, Pearl remained tense as she settled the diamond with a not so convinced look. "...and if Orange Diamond does finds out...you know? What will we do?"

"Zirconia..." Pink bit the inside of her cheek, "I don't know how she'd take it. Maybe she..." Pink's eyes fell to the floor between them, for the first time honestly considering what to do if Rose Quartz had to meet the youngest diamond. "Perhaps if she...she could...at least consider..."

Pearl waited a moment as Pink continued to mumble, realizing just what she was considering. Pearl's eyes rounded, her lips parting in a surprised gasp, "You want to bring her over to the Rebels side, don't you?"

Pink's head shot up, meeting Pearl's eyes, her apprehension increasing at the sight of Pearl's surprise. "Of course I do. But...she's so attached to Homeworld. Would she even be happy with us? Do you even think it would be possible, Pearl?"

"Of course!" the smaller gem stepped forward, hands unclasping as she quickly turned her hands up in apology, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring your mood down like this. Why don't we just forget it. You're right, it probably won't happen anyway."

"No, no. You have brought up important points. I do need to be prepared." She sighed loudly, her hand coming up to ruffle her hair as she ran through possible situations in her head, "If something does happen, or...but it won't. It won't come to that.

Pearl watched the expression morph on Pink's face, the worry as she bit her lip, the apprehension clouding her eyes as her eyebrows lowered and lower until the were half turned up while her eyes seemed to be looking through the floor, the clenching of her fingers in her hair, and the tension in her shoulders. Pearl may not have known exactly what her diamond was always thinking, but she was well practiced in following her line of thought. "You are unsure if Orange Diamond would betray you for Homeworld?"

Pink's eyes cut up to Pearl, then away, before slowly going back to her, her lips tugging down as she bit her lower lip. "I...I don't know." She leaned forward, her elbows pressed into her thighs as her head fell into her hands. "Oh Pearl, I don't know how much longer I can do this."

"Do what, my Diamond?" Pearl asked cautiously.

"Go back and forth, between being Pink Diamond and Rose Quartz."

Pearl stared at her diamond in concern, "You wish to end the Rebellion? After everything?"

Pink craned her neck back, turning to look at Pearl, her eyebrows pulled down, the frustration and exhaustion clear on her face,"I want to end it, of course. It's just a matter...which side do we leave this on?" Pink leaned back heavily in her chair, shoulders sagging down as she turned to look out at the colony planet before her. "Oh, my Pearl, what have I gotten us into?"

"Nothing!" Pearl's voice raised, her hands making wide arching motions that caught the Diamond's eyes as she gestured in the negative, "This isn't your fault! It was me, and my stupid ideas." Pearl stepped forward, pleading, "Please, my Diamond, don't blame yourself. This isn't...It's not-"

"It's alright." Pink's lips quirked up in a small, somber smilie, that did nothing to ease Pearl's panic.

"But...?"

"This was my choice, Pearl. All of this was because of me, you don't have to take the blame." Pink turned away from her, eyes glancing at the screen, words detailing the beta kindergarten briefly pulling her attention before she focused on the planet again. "I just...no matter what I choose, one side will be hurt because of me."

"You do not have to choose, at least, right now. Maybe never!" Pearl reasoned, her voice taking on a force, happy tone, "We could wait. Give Orange some time, I'm sure...maybe...?" Her expression wavered, "she could always just decide to change."

"Maybe...." Pink echoed back with a noticeable lack of enthusiasm.

Pearl continued, searching for a plausible way that would aid Pink. "Maybe...Oh! Maybe we could allow her to see both sides, and let her make the choice. It wouldn't be on you then, my Diamond."

The diamond chuckled softly, but it was anything but joyful. "Thank you for trying, Pearl, but i wouldn't want to put her in that position. That's not fair to her." Pink said and Pearl floundered in the awkward silence that followed, teeth clenched as she attempted to find something to alleviate the somber moment she had inadvertently created.

"I feel like a child myself," The diamond spoke quietly a few moments later, Pearl stilling in her fidgeting to listen, "Wanting it both ways. I've forced myself into this all too familiar corner again."

Pearl's face fell, her hand reaching out toward Pink before she pulled it back to her chest. "Please my Diamond, don't think of it that way. Think of all the gems you're helping, and the Earth!" Pearl implored her, making a wide gesture with her hands as she motioned towards the planet, "You're doing so much good."

"So much good always comes with a steep cost."

"My Diamond?" Pearl's voice was small, hesitant as she watched Pink's expression harden before her, afraid she had been the one to cause it.

"White...White Diamond used to tell me that." Pink finally turned her head to look at Pearl, lips thinned out as her eyebrows pulled together, her eyes taking on a seriousness she had only really seen when she was Rose Quartz, facing off against Homeworld. "When I was first made, and she was showing me the great changes of Homeworld from her own time." Pink made a flippant gesture with her hand, "She used to tell me that. 'Everything comes at a cost, Starlight.' "

"I...don't follow."

"We help everyone on Earth, the humans, the planet, the Rebels...and I will lose them if I don't help. But if I do, if I see this through...I lose my daughter." Pink's eyes shined with tears that did not fall as she looked Pearl in the eye and asked, "How do I make that kind of choice, Pearl?"

"Perhaps..." eyes flicking to the floor, brow pinching in concentration, Pearl pondered her question, even if Pink didn't really expect an answer. Perhaps we can find a way for both sides to win?"

"I've already tried that." Pink countered instantly, "The other Diamonds won't back down, and now that we're at war, the Rebels can't back down either. With this colony, Homeworld will never leave until they have what they want."

"Then we have to find a way! If anyone can, I know you can, my diamond! Please don't give up."

"I wish it was that simple." Pink huffed, leaning forward, she reached forward to the screen, sluggishly moving her fingers against the keys with much less care than before. "Theres no way I could-"

"Maybe you can't, but Rose could! Rose wouldn't just give up."

Pink paused long enough to give Pearl a sideways glance before staring back at the screen blindly. "Zirconia may have taken a new interest in the Earth, but she would never listen to Rose Quartz. The other Diamonds have made sure of that."

"Then make her. You have come this far, my diamond. You can't give up now. The Earth, the rebels, they need you. How can you know if you don't try?"

"Pearl, please. If Zirconia met Rose quartz, she would not be interested in seeing Earth's beauty, she'd be putting her new teachings from White Diamond to use. I could never fight my own daughter."

"Orange said it herself, she doesn't like to fight. Maybe if she was told the truth, the real truth, make her see whats really going on."

Pink's eyebrows turned down, her aversion to the idea clear on her face when she turned to look at Pearl, "You mean force her to..." Her words trailed off as her eyebrows lifted up as her eyes rounded, the thin line of her mouth curving as her lips parted as she gasped, "oh."

"What is it?" Pearl questioned, surprised y the sudden change in her demeanor.

A new excitement burned in Pink's eyes as she met Pearl's stare, her tone lighting from its former seriousness as she explained, "Zirconia may not be interested in the truth from Rose Quartz, that is true, but it also gives me an idea."

Pearl's eyebrows furrowed, alarmed, but intrigued. "My Diamond?"

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I had not intended for this to be an entire chapter of Pink and Pearl talking, and yet here we are. It got so long, I had to separate what was originally meant to happen into two parts. So next chapter will be out very soon! promise it won't be a month wait.