Fractures

1. A Thousand Glittering Stars

A/N: Hello everyone, welcome to the first multi-chapter story I've written in quite a few years. Recent revelations in Steven Universe have made me completely obsessed, and, though I've been having plenty of ideas, this one hit me like a truck; I just had to go for it! It's my take on what would happen if the rebellion loses and what Pink Diamond does after being forced to return to Homeworld. As you can imagine, it's not a very happy story, not at first.

This story is already completely written, so you can expect regular updates. There are 12 chapters in total, and, as they're mostly vignettes, length will vary drastically, ranging from a few hundred words to several thousand. There are spoilers for Season 5 up to the most recent episode, "Legs from Here to Homeworld", so click away if you're not caught up!

Warnings for this story include: Major Character Death, Suicidal Thoughts and Ideations, Emotional Damage, Trauma, Self-Harm, and other Mental Health and Depression Stuff. There won't be specific warnings on chapters as this stuff is part of the theme and is rather prevalent. There's also a little cursing if you care about that (mostly in the author's notes, heh).

Obligatory Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe or its characters. I just wanted to write about the suffering of my favorite pink cream puff. Enjoy!

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- Pink Diamond loses everything.

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Sapphire waited patiently, her mind awhirl amidst a galaxy of stars. The screaming from the other room echoed loudly. The jaspers guarding her shuffled their feet anxiously.

She wondered how much suffering she could have prevented if she had known. How many mistakes she- Garnet- could have stopped her from making. If Ruby would be alive right now.

She wondered what it could have been like, if Rose had trusted them too, if Pearl had breathed even a single word about it.

The scene played over and over again:

Yellow Diamond stepping foot on Earth in a furious rage.

Rose going to confront her, two armies gathering.

Yellow Diamond's voice, hissing out in a whisper. Time to come home, Pink.

The shock and terror on Rose's face. The shriek she uttered when she was struck by Yellow Diamond's lightning.

Her gem falling at Yellow Diamond's feet, the sun glinting off of its rose-colored point.

The Crystal Gems falling apart, unable to maintain their unity. Unable to face the realization that they'd never been free of the diamonds at all.

Sapphire saw them, the thousands of glittering shards piled high in carts, ready to be taken away and used.

Sapphire saw Blue Diamond, standing by stoically as Yellow Diamond shattered them one by one. Behind them was White Diamond, massive and blinding and sucking all of the life from the room with her smile.

Sapphire saw Pink Diamond trapped in a cage, wearing a flowing, familiar dress that both did and did not belong to her. She saw her throw everything she had at her prison; her shield, her body, her despair. She saw that she would not escape.

Sapphire saw the endless stream of Pink Diamond's tears, tears that could do nothing to make a shattered gem whole.

Sapphire saw bright magenta eyes lock gazes with her own blue one, a wordless, helpless apology written in them. She could not see if she forgave her.

Sapphire saw Pink Diamond screaming; screaming for mercy, screaming out her love, screaming until her voice cracked and broke and even then she did not stop.

Sapphire saw Pink Diamond fall quietly to her knees and beg them to shatter her.

Her request was denied.

Sapphire waited patiently, her tears plummeting to the icy floor at her feet. After nearly 600 years, the future was a straight and narrow river once more.