Sally, The Crystal Gem

Family

"M-Mom... I..." Sally sighed.

"If you want to be taught the gem way, you must confront her and tell her you're moving out." Pearl said, projecting a projection of her mother after learning what she looked like.

"I know but... She's my mom..." Sally sighed.

"Actually, she is just a human who raised you. You have no parents." Pearl said.

"I know, but... It's hard to talk to the people who are in charge of you about this stuff..." Sally sighed.

"You're lucky you were never on Homeworld." Pearl chuckled.

"We should get this over with. We have missions to go on soon." Garnet said.

"I guess I'll go ahead and go home. Thanks for trying to help, Pearl." Sally sighed.

"You're very welcome, Sally. We'll see you later." Pearl said. Sally waved goodbye as she watched in amazement when they warped away.

Sally turned to Steven.

"Are you ready to go?"

Steven nodded.

"Okay, then, let's go find your dad." She smiled. He reached for her hand and she happily took it.

They walked out the temple and onto the beach.

"Do you like living by the beach?" Sally asked.

Steven nodded.

"I've never lived by the beach before. I lived in a big city in Texas. It was bright and beautiful at night, and I miss it. But I like living here, too. I get to meet you, I get to restart in life... I get to move on from my... Dad's death..." Sally frowned at her accidently mentioning her father.

"What happened to you're dad?" Steven asked. Sally smiled at his small voice, this being the first time she ever heard it.

"He was being a brave cop, protecting people and being awesome. But someone shot him during a bank robbery. He didn't make it to the hospital..." Sally said. She saw her gem project a memory of hers with her father. Steven stared at it, watching it. Stars gleamed in his eyes as he watched the heart warming projection.

A man in a cop suit was coming home to a happy Sally, running out of the house to greet him. He pulled her into a hug, the biggest smile Steven had ever seen on his face.

"Heh... He had been gone for a week on a trip to solve a case..." Sally narrated the projection.

The man took the girl all over town, buying her gifts, eating at fancy restaurants, going to the fair. She had never had so much fun in one day. In the end of that memory, it showed Sally smiling brightly.

Then another memory played. A sad one. Sally was crying her eyes out, rain coming down hard. Everyone was wearing dark clothes and held up umbrellas. The black coffin went into the ground. Sally's mother was handed the flag that went over the coffin. Sally went home, crying her eyes out. She had never been the same since.

"That was his funeral..." Sally mumbled, watching the projection disappear.

"I'm sorry about your dad..." Steven said.

"It's fine. That was two years ago." Sally said smiling brightly. "C'mon. Your dad's waiting at the carwash." Sally said.

* * *

Sally walked up to the carwash. She knocked on his van door.

"Uh... Mr. Universe? I have Steven here!" Sally yelled. Greg opened the door, sleepy from just waking up.

"Steven?" He looked down at Steven. He then looked up at Sally, then at her gem. "Who are you?!" He snatched Steven away.

"I-I'm Sally, I'm... a gem." She said, praying he understood what gems were.

"Are you with the gems?" He asked.

"Uh... Yes? Their on a mission, and they sent me here with Steven..." Sally explained.

"Oh. Well, sorry if I freaked you out. It's just I'm not sure about new gems." He said. Sally nodded in response. "I'm Greg. You said you're name is Sally?" He said reaching his hand out. Sally gladly shook it.

"Yes."

"Are you... From Homeworld?" He asked.

"No. I... Don't know where I'm from." Sally said.

"Oh..." There was an awkward silence before Sally finally said,

"I've gotta go. Goodbye, Steven. Goodbye, Mr. Universe." Sally said.

"Call me Greg, please. I insist." He smiled.

"Okay, goodbye." Sally chuckled waving as she walked away.