[TRIGGER WARNINGS: Mentions of Violence, Funerals, Mourning, Threats, Swearing]
Seconds, minutes, and days passed by painfully slow as the Gems organized a funeral plan for Steven. They had close to zero information, all they possessed was his bloodied gemstone, but it would have to work. Bismuth pushed all her projects off to the side and dedicated all her time, her resources, and her energy to creating a memorial for Steven. Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst worked with Bismuth to hand-make a beautiful glass case containing a metal frame to hold Stevenâs gemstone together. Close friends and family watched Greg and Connie closely. Sadie, her friends, and the Off-Colors stayed in Beach City to help out anywhere they could. They were all advised not to make his death public knowledge just yet. Only to tell people they knew for certain they could trust. None of them needed another warning, considering past experiences.Â
Before long, the day of the funeral came. The sky was darkened and dismal. The oceans roared and crashed against the sandy beachside, and gray clouds formed and twisted in the sky, heavy with rain as if the world itself was anguished with the murder of its beloved savior as its people were. But it would have taken the galaxy meeting oblivion face-to-face to hinder Steven's family and friends from going through with the commemoration.
As everyone else was getting ready, Connie stood alone in the center of Stevenâs room, her arms crossed over her chest, hugging herself tightly. The memories were flooding back to her like a tsunami, nearly knocking her out with the intense emotions attached to them. She could hear the faint call of Stevenâs voice, distant, ringing in her ears like a blown-out speaker.Â
Connieâs eyes were darkened and empty, a shadow cast over her face. Her cheeks and nose were red and puffy, and her head throbbed with pain from crying. She felt like she had completely lost it: her mind, her will, her heart, everything. It was gone, and it wasnât coming back. It had died alongside the person she loved the most.Â
Connie flinched a little when she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Patricia, wearing an outfit similar to Connieâs. They both wore deep black clothing, close-toed shoes, and socks in preparation for the coming funeral dedicated in memoriam and respect to Steven. Patricia wore a long-sleeved high neck shirt, an ankle-length skirt, and a black hijab, while Connie donned a simple, collared, knee-length dress with a dark ribbon around the waist and elbow-length sleeves. Although, she was fighting the urge to wrap one of Stevenâs jackets around herself, to mimic at least a semblance of his embrace and warmth. Steven always hugged Connie when she was sad or cold. At that moment, she was freezing and torn to shreds. But she knew she would never be wrapped in his arms again and that it was foolish to hope for it. But stars be damned if she did not miss him and need him so much it physically hurt.Â
âAre you sure youâre ready for this, Connie?â Patricia asked with concern in her voice. She was also upset at losing one of her closest friends, but she knew Connie had taken his death hard. Connie was his partner after all. And Patricia was worried that the funeral would be even harder.Â
Connie sighed then turned her head to meet Patriciaâs worried gaze with her lifeless one, attempting a composed facade.Â
âI have to, Patricia.â Connie said finally with a broken voice.
Patricia wasnât convinced, but she decided not to fight it. Patricia retracted her hand but immediately hugged Connie tightly afterward. Priyanka gently knocked on the door with Daniel at her side to announce her presence. They wore similar attire to Connie and Patriciaâs clothing, and both Priyanka and Daniel seemed just as worried as Patricia was for Connieâs wellbeing.Â
âTheyâre waiting for you downstairs, honey.â Patricia spoke gently, giving Connie a warm, reassuring, yet concerned expression once Connie turned around to face her. Connie glanced over to Daniel, then looked back up at her mother. With a deep breath, she nodded.Â
âOkay. Iâm ready.â Connie said, but even she did not sound convinced. She rubbed her eyes, then walked over to Priyanka and Daniel. Priyanka put a hand on Connieâs shoulder, while Patricia squeezed her hand in a gesture of reassurance.Â
Connie led the small group down the stairs, glancing over at the small crowd in the living room. Greg and the Crystal Gems were huddled around the coffee table, all wearing funeral attire. Black suits, dresses, pantsuits, paired with close-toed shoes. Garnet wasnât wearing her visor, and neither was Peridot. Greg was sitting in the center of the couch, clutching the intricate glass case that held Stevenâs gemstone, which had been pieced back together, held in place in a gorgeous hand-crafted silver frame that Bismuth had created. Gregâs hands were trembling, and he was trying to fight the tears threatening to well up in his eyes. He looked about as worse for wear as Connie and the gems did. Amethyst was at his side with a hand on his shoulder, and Pearl was standing at his other side with her eyes askance and downcast.Â
Greg looked up, his eyes meeting Connieâs broken torn and anxious expression. The Gems soon followed his gaze, looking up at Connie, standing on the stairs with Daniel, Patricia, and Priyanka beside her. Daniel looked out the large window near the staircase, seeing all the townsfolk crowded at the shore waiting for them. Close friends, new friends, complete strangers, and former enemies stood at the shoreline. Hell, every gem and every human that could attend the funeral was there, except the Diamonds. They were advised to stay in their palace and watch the broadcast instead, due to the possibility of their powers affecting everyone else. As well as other more personal reasons Stevenâs family would rather not discuss with the Diamonds.
âIâm pretty sure everybody that can be here is here,â Daniel said, glancing over at Connie and Greg. Amethyst wandered over to the screen door, pressing her palms against the glass. With a sigh, she nodded, turning to Garnet. Priyanka put a hand on Gregâs shoulder while Amethyst walked over to Pearl, helping her up off the couch. All of the gems still had cracking on their bodies, but they were able to manage a somewhat stable form. But it was clear that trying to keep their light-composed forms from poofing was an extremely difficult task.
Holding her motherâs hand tightly, Connie was the first to step outside Steven and Gregâs home. She led Priyanka, the Gems, and Greg down the hill to the shoreline. Near the edge of the crashing waves was a small stone statue of Steven covered in vines and flowers. Bismuth had carved a hole into the hands of the statue to hold his gemstone encased in glass and silver. Everyone had surrounded the memorial with flowers, framed photos of him, his family, and friends, some of his personal belongings, and the gifts he had given to his family before the road trip on his 17th birthday. A gesture of reassurance, love, and respect to the ones who raised and protected him even at his darkest moments.Â
Nearby the statue, the Gems had set up seating arrangements for the attendants. And with the help of Sour Cream, a speaker and microphone was also placed near the statue so the family could speak clearly to everyone. Unfortunately, the Gems had sorely underestimated the number of people who planned to be there. But the visitors didnât mind. Instead, they sat in the sand without complaint in respecting silence. Everyone directed their attention to the grieving family as they made their way down the split in the crowd in pairs of two, holding hands. Daniel and Patricia sat down near the front, keeping a close eye on Connie. Patricia couldnât help but note all of the guards. Agates, quartzes, fusions, you name it, they were there.Â
Lapis lazuliâs were stationed beside the guards, holding back the rainwater and the ocean. Among the Lapis Lazuli were the two who had fought against Lapis and Steven. One Lapis was fighting tears and shaking violently, whilst the other had better composure. But it was evident she was grieving as well. Steven never gave up on either of them, even when they attacked him and his friends and tried to destroy a planet he was trying to save. They owed him a lot. More than either of them were willing to admit.Â
Each Gem, Connie, and Greg stood near the statue, forming a line. One by one, they stepped forward, taking one last glimpse at Stevenâs gemstone before sitting beside the statue in front of the flowers and belongings. Peridot sat next to Lapis, Pearl sat next to Amethyst, Bismuth sat next to Garnet, and Connie sat next to Priyanka.Â
Greg gently placed the glass casing in the hands of the statue, staring at it for a moment, cupping his hands around the stone ones, shaking. After a moment, he rubbed tears from his eyes, whispered one final apology and goodbye, then finally managed to walk away from the statue and to the microphone stand. Blue Pearl set up a holo screen that projected the ceremony across the earth and galaxy. But she made sure to keep a distance from the group to be respectful. Greg wasn't keen on broadcasting his son's funeral, but it wasn't just a funeral. It was a warning to his enemies. A call to their allies. They wanted whoever killed him, so they could pay for their unforgivable actions. A statement made, and a message to the people that they had lost the one who saved them, the one who did not deserve to be slaughtered.Â
âThank you, to everyone here. To everyone listening. I know this isnât easy to witness.â Greg spoke with a shaky voice, trying desperately to keep himself together.Â
âSteven would have wanted to say goodbye to you all at least one last time. As much as we will love and miss him, he will love and miss us just as much, if not, more. His gemstone will not be buried here, but kept and guarded closely in the Diamond Palace instead. But for this ceremony, his gem will be inside the statue that Bismuth made.âÂ
Greg gestured over to Bismuth with a nod as he spoke. Bismuth gave him a small, grateful smile, but it didnât reach her eyes. Greg turned back to the microphone, glancing down at the little cards Priyanka, Peridot, and Garnet wrote down for him.Â
âEach of us will be giving a speech. After which, Stevenâs gem will be relocated in the room dedicated to protecting it. If you wish to leave any parting gifts beside his statue, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all, again.â Greg looked up and gave everyone a small, broken smile. Mostly everyone had already placed something beside the statue, but a few townspeople, including gems, stood up to place a flower or two near the stone figure.Â
There was a moment of tense silence when a familiar, small pink gem stood up and walked down to the statue, placing a large pink carnation at the feet of the sculpture. It was Spinel, one of Stevenâs greatest enemies. Lapis tensed up, grinding her teeth and glaring at Spinel as she walked closer. Everyone else was tense as well. Peridot placed a hand on Lapisâ shoulder, giving her an expression that said, âPlease donât.â Bismuth and Pearl did the same for Garnet, who had curled her fingers into tight, quivering fists and gritted her teeth. She knew there was no use in senseless violence, but seeing that horrid reminder of one of her worst memories made it a struggle. Although the others would be lying if they said they werenât struggling as well.Â
They all knew why Spinel was here. She was here in place of the Diamonds. She wore a dark dress with the Diamond emblem embroidered on the back. While it was undeniable that Spinel had gotten much better, everyone was still on guard around her. Especially since she was walking around with the diamond emblem so bravely presented during Steven's funeral. Yet she wasn't wearing it of her own accord. Some part of her hated it too. But nowadays, she trusted the diamonds and wanted to show her loyalty to the ones who took her in as one of their own.
Spinel stood in front of the stone statue with her left hand folded over her right, resting on the front of her skirt. She lowered her head and closed her eyes for a moment, muttering something under her breath before turning around, hurrying back to her spot next to the Yellow Agate guard in the back corner, trying to disregard the awkward, piercing stares from everyone else.
The gem behind Spinel walked up to place flowers at the memorial; was Nephrite. The very same Nephrite that Steven tried to heal when he was young, Centi. The name Centi was a name she wore with pride and joy. She carefully sat down on her knees, gently placing a bouquet of gladioli flowers near all the other flowers. There was a variety and abundance of flowers. Carnations, chrysanthemums, orchids, and hydrangeas. The unspoken rule, however, was that no one was allowed to place a rose near his memorial. Flowers of varying colors, shapes, and sizes were among the bouquets, but not one single rose was in sight.Â
Centi placed her hands in her lap, staring at the cracked pink gemstone in the hands of the carved stone. She lowered her head, closing her eye for a moment. She muttered a few words before standing up, blinking away a tear forming in her eye. Another nephrite, Centiâs co-pilot, Nephie, walked up to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. Drawing a deep breath, Centi placed her hand on her co-pilotâs. She glanced over at Peridot, who gave her a weak, sad smile in return.Â
Taking Centiâs hand, Nephie led her commander back to their seating arrangements. As the last of the gems and humans placed their parting gifts and took their time to say goodbye, Greg stood up and walked over to the microphone. He took a deep breath, reading the papers in his hands before speaking once more.
Steven groaned, clenching his teeth as he slowly opened his eyes. He was met with a dim, flickering white ceiling light. The room was silent and eerie, and his shaking body was achy and weak. And he felt an intense, sinking empty feeling clawing at his chest, making him nauseous. The pain in his stomach didnât exactly help with the nausea or fatigue. He glanced around, scanning his surroundings as some memories slowly drifted back to him. Right, still stuck in this glorified prison cell. Unfortunately the events that transpired werenât a nightmare. There was a buzzing in his ears, followed by the faint beep of the patient monitor. Steven didnât even have the energy to panic again. His head was throbbing, his eyes red and puffy, everything hurt, and he was completely drained, mentally and physically.
âSteven? You awake?âÂ
A familiar voice called out to Steven, his voice. He squinted, his vision blurring a little. He squeezed his eyes shut and pursed his lips. He didnât have the energy to be shocked or confused either, even at hearing his own voice talking to him.Â
âUgh⊠Sort of.â Steven grumbled, almost incoherent with another pained grunt. He wrapped an arm around his stomach, rubbing his eyes with the other as he tried to wake himself up.Â
âTrust me, you arenât the only one.âÂ
Hearing the voice again, it suddenly clicked. Steven paused and blinked, his hand hovering over his wide eyes for a moment before he quickly propped himself up on his elbows. He nearly had a heart attack when his eyes were met with piercing diamond ones. He stared at the pink figure in front of him, his frazzled, probably still sedative overdosed mind trying to decipher what he was seeing.Â
â... Nora?â Steven said with confusion in his voice, slurring his words a little. His sentence seemed to be more of a question than a statement.Â
Nora blinked, staring at his human half with perplexion and slight concern. He glanced over at the patient monitor, then looked back at Steven.Â
âDid you forget about me already? Iâm hurt.â Nora snarked with a raised brow, cracking a small amused smile after giving Steven a mock pout. It was obvious Nora was being sarcastic, but Steven immediately panicked, shaking his hands dismissively with a guilty look on his face.Â
âW-Wait! No! I-Iâm sorry, I-I just-â Steven was interrupted by a chuckle from Nora.
âRelax, itâs okay. Iâm just messing with you.â Nora reassured with another amused smirk, crossing his arms as he leaned against the metal frame behind him. He was sitting cross-legged, facing Steven at the foot of the bed.Â
âHow are you feeling?â Nora asked, his smile fading, his expression morphing into one of worry. As much as he wanted to try and lighten the mood, he couldnât help but be concerned.Â
âIâve⊠Been better. But, Iâm alive, right?â Steven said with a nervous laugh, sitting up straight. Pulling his legs up to his chest, Steven hugged his legs close, resting his chin on his knees. Nora sighed a little and nodded, recognizing Stevenâs posture as an anxious, defensive one. Steven was chewing at his bottom lip too, which was never a good sign.
âYeah, I figured⊠Donât chew your lip, youâll make yourself bleed again.â Nora commanded sternly with furrowed brows. Nora had good intentions, but unlike his human half, he was very intimidating and standoffish. Even when he didnât mean to be. Steven gulped, nodding a little as he tried to fight the urge to fidget again.
There was a short moment of tense silence between the both of them before Steven finally spoke up.
âWhat about you?â Steven asked, looking up at his Gem half. Nora blinked in confusion once more, arching a brow.
âI donât see why thatâs impor-â Nora cut himself off, seeing the pouty glare Steven was giving him. Nora didnât need him to speak his mind to know what he was thinking, or feeling.
â...I mean, Iâm fine. Itâs kinda tough to hurt me anyway.â Nora said with a shrug.
âThatâs true. But-â Steven was interrupted by a loud metal clang of the roomâs door opening. Steven gasped and flinched as if he heard a gunshot, his eyes stretching open wide in horror when he saw who was behind Nora. Nora whipped his head around, following Stevenâs gaze. Nora immediately scowled, his joy and gentleness rapidly switching into violent animosity as he growled and shot a ruthless glare at the people standing in the doorway.Â
It was Black Diamond, Azure, and the same woman from before, the officer that looked identical to Black. Somehow, she looked even more terrified and broken than when Nora saw her in the observation room. Azure seemed to be as scared as the smaller woman was. Their eyes were wide, their arms crossed, their body trembling.Â
âWhat the hell do you want now?â Nora hissed, his eyes glowing menacingly as Black Diamond glared right back at him. Nora shifted his gaze to the large radio in Black Diamondâs hand, confusion overriding his seething hatred for only a moment before Black Diamond spoke.
âI have a little surprise for the both of you. Want to see?â
Steven looked over at Nora with a terrified look in his eyes. Nora and Stevenâs answer was already obvious, but so was Black Diamondâs intentions. She was going to show them whether they wanted her to or not.Â
Steven shuffled backward as Black Diamond took a few steps forward. Nora did the same, watching Black like a hawk as she got closer. He could feel Steven shaking behind him. And it only pissed him off even more. The patient monitorâs beeping grew more and more rapid as Black Diamond got closer and closer. Azure raised their head, a worried expression on their face when they heard the quickened beeping. But they didnât dare move or speak out of line so close to their commander.Â
Black Diamond placed the radio in front of Nora, who was still scowling at her, seconds away from tearing out her spine. She reached down, pressing the power button. Blaring static rang throughout the room, making Steven flinch again and clasp his hands over his ears. Black Diamond turned the dial, the static noise shifting and distorting until it started to sound like a voice. A very familiar voice. Gregâs voice. Steven and Nora both froze, hearing the voice of their father, his tone soaked in despair.Â
Black Diamond grinned with a tilt of her head when she saw their expressions. Turning another dial, she raised the volume of the broadcast. Gregâs voice distorted and glitched out now and then, but they could still make out what he was saying, if just barely. Â
âI-I still remember the day Steven was given the opportunity to move in with the Crystal Gems. He was so excited that day, and from that day forward until he moved, it was all he could think about. Picked up the ukulele faster than I could teach him and w-wrote a whole song for them and everything. And the day he showed me his p-powers that he had finally mastered, each and every accomplishment on every mission, a-all of his friends⊠Couldnât stop talking about it, he was so proud of himself and he was so happy. I could have listened to him ramble for hours.âÂ
Nora and Steven could hear the dejected smile in their fatherâs voice, but they could also hear the absolute devastation. Steven looked up at Black Diamond, confused, panicked, and frozen with fear. Black met his gaze, and a cold chill ran down his spine. There was something about her eyes that made him feel sick from a kind of alarm he had only felt a few times before. Steven has faced fear, death, and worse when he was younger. He had even grown accustomed and completely numb to it. But the expression and the presence of this woman alone awakened a kind of terror Steven had not felt in a very long time.Â
Static hissed through the radio speaker, Gregâs glitched and distorted voice breaking through it.Â
âEver since then, he worked himself to the bone. S-Saved Earth, saved the galaxy, even saved the people who didnât d-deserve it. I knew he was going to be strong, but Iâm sure he impressed all of us with the feats he managed to accomplish. I-I just wish that I could have been there to save him âŠâ
It was evident that Greg was trying not to cry. His voice was shaking, he was stuttering, and it only became more and more difficult not to break down. They heard him take a deep, trembling breath before continuing.Â
âThis morning, W-White Diamond called for a meeting at her palace. She had found my sonâs sh-shattered gem in her old throne room. C-Covered in his blood, s-smashed to pieces l-lying on the f-floor.â
There was a moment of silence as Greg tried to compose himself, his breath hitching. Steven could see it now, his father standing there with tears running down his face like waterfalls. But his mind had no time to process that image before something clicked. Stevenâs eyes stretched open wide as he stared at Nora with pure shock and terror. Nora turned his head to face Steven. Nora seemed as surprised and panicked as his human half was, if not more so. Â
âWhat⊠But-â Nora began, but was immediately interrupted by the radio broadcast.Â
âSteven has a-always been a good kid. Kind, thoughtful, s-strong, determined, brave, empathetic, a-and so much more... Even while fighting m-monsters of his own. After everything he went through, he put others first, even when it broke him. He didnât deserve to die like this.â
Gregâs voice cracked as a broken sob escaped him followed by more static hissing from the radio. Nora and Steven could only stare at the radio with wide, panic-stricken eyes. They heard another distorted deep breath, then Greg continued.Â
âWe donât know who hurt him yet. But we need your help to find them. We need to find them and make them pay .â Greg spoke with desperation and anger in his voice.Â
Black Diamond held in a laugh, glancing at Azure and the woman behind her. Azure had cracks spreading throughout their body, and they couldnât look Black Diamond in the eye. The woman gave Black Diamond an unnerved look, still shaking as much as Azure was.Â
âOh, come on. Itâs a little funny.â Black Diamond said with an amused smile. Nora was shaking with pure rage, while Steven was frozen statue-still in horror with a thousand questions racing through his head. The woman lowered her head again with a defeated expression. Black Diamond turned to Nora, her eyes glimmering with malice as she returned his murderous expression with a glare, still smiling. There was a distorted shuffling noise and incoherent conversations from the radio before another familiar voice spoke after a long, tense pause and another shaky breath.Â
âI-I remember the first time I met Steven. H-He was trying to ride a bike. Yes, in the sandâŠâ Connie said sadly with a small chuckle. When Steven heard her voice, he finally snapped out of his trance and gasped, tears streaming down his face.Â
âConni-â Steven exclaimed, but was cut off by Black Diamond switching off the radio with an audible click. He flinched once more when he heard the noise, and looked up at the looming death in front of him. He clenched his teeth, trembling. He wanted to scream, to yell, to fight, but he couldnât move. Black Diamond rested her chin on her hand, smirking like the cat that ate the canary. Nora finally snapped out of his rage-induced catalepsy, his eyes blazing bright pink as the floor cracked and the machines malfunctioned under the sheer pressure of his hate. But before he could say or do anything, Steven grabbed his wrist, trembling.
âNora. Donât. Please.â Steven pleaded, the panic in his wide eyes made Nora stop immediately, his vicious scowl switching to a worried look. Steven slowly shook his head and whisper-begged the words âPlease donât.â Nora stared at his horrified human half, pink tears welling up in his eyes.Â
âListen to your little pet, Matriarch. You have no power here.â Black Diamond commented with a snarky tone.Â
âTheyâll come for you, Black. They will tear this place apart. And after, I will tear you apart.â Nora growled, his manic, fuming eyes meeting Black Diamondâs half-lidded gaze that was brimming with pride. His voice echoed and reverberated throughout the room, the walls and the floor cracking under the pressure. Black Diamond held in another chuckle and leaned over, resting her forearms against the frame at the foot of the hospital bed. She glared right back at Nora once again, her words soaked with venom.
âDonât worry about us, weâll be just fine.â Black Diamond reassured with a smug expression and a cocky, leering tone. It was clear she was enjoying making Nora uncontrollably enraged.Â
âThey wonât find this place, Matriarch. Weâre tucked away in the corner of the galaxy on a looong forgotten planet. And I know better than to not have tricks up my sleeve. My favorite diamond has such little faith in me?â Black Diamond mocked, arching a brow, her smile making Stevenâs stomach churn. Steven held onto Noraâs arm in a silent gesture of reassurance, trying to keep him from doing something that they both would regret.Â
âMaybe HD-023 isnât the pet after all. Heâs got you leashed like a dog .â Black leered again as she insulted Nora with another sick grin.Â
âDonât fucking call him that you insufferable-â Nora began, jerking forward with the intention of lunging and shredding Black Diamond into chunks of gore. But he was interrupted by Steven, who held onto his arm and raised his voice, glaring at Black Diamond.
âL-Leave us alone.â Steven demanded with shaking, stuttering words. Black Diamondâs eyes roved over Steven for a moment before she held in another laugh. She stood up, curling her fingers around the handle of the radio before picking it up and swinging it like a purse as she turned to walk out of the room.Â
âIâve had enough fun with them. Lock them up, we have work to do.â Black Diamond ordered, giving Azure a disgusted look. Azure flinched and trembled in response. They nodded hastily, saluting Black Diamond with a diamond salute as Black walked out of the room, taking the radio that Black shoved into their chest.Â
Azure paused just before closing the door, turning to Steven and Nora. Nora shot daggers at them with his expression as soon as she turned around.Â
âIâm sorry.â Azure whispered, blue tears welling up in their eyes. Steven looked confused, his eyes widening in surprise as he looked up at them. But Nora was having none of it.
âGet the fuck out.â Nora growled, making Azure flinch once more and hurry out of the door, securing it closed behind them with another loud metal clang.Â
âNoraâŠâ Steven began, but paused when Nora turned around to face him. Nora was completely irate, with wide eyes, furrowed brows, and bared teeth. Steven gulped. He was scared, but he knew deep down that Nora wouldnât hurt him. He took a deep breath before returning Noraâs furious expression with a warm, worried one.Â
âB-Breathe, buddy.â Steven ushered, enunciating his words with a squeeze of his hands around Noraâs arm. Nora gave a forceful sigh, his haggard breathing evening out as the rage turned to shame and fear. As much as he hated Black Diamond, scaring his human half would break him completely, and he had a sinking feeling in his gem hearing fear in Stevenâs voice.
â... I could tell you the same thing,â Nora muttered with a guilty look on his face. Steven shrugged with a âthatâs fairâ expression. He was still shaky and huddled up in a defensive position, and he would be lying if he said he wasnât scared, upset, and angry too.Â
âIâm sorry,â Nora admitted with a heavy heart, looking Steven in the eyes. Shame, worry, and defeat was written all over his pale pink face.
âMe too.â Steven mumbled in defeat as he lowered his head, tears in his eyes. Nora shook his head, the feeling of guilt and shame building, nearly cracking him. He quickly reached forward and pulled Steven into another tight hug.
âYou donât have to apologize, Iâm not angry at you. And Iâm gonna get us out of here. I promise .âÂ
Nora reassured, enunciating his last words by hugging Steven just a little bit tighter. Steven hugged him back wordlessly, taking another deep, shaking breath in an attempt to calm himself. They couldnât give up, they had to fight this together and stay positive.. It was the only way they would persevere and survive.
