Trying to Smile Again Continued (Steven UniverseUniverse Fic)

Part Six Chapter One: Treading Lightly

"Wha-Did you-Are we-AHHHH!"

The fusion held it's head with it's four arms. She hear the painful screams that Spinel has been hearing... it hurt. There was a bright light, then the two gems quickly unfused. They dropped on the floor, and Steven perked his head up. Spinel lay on the floor, not moving an inch.

"SPINEL-"

Steven was cut off by a loud, blaring siren, coming from the ship. Steven gasped, his eyes growing wide. The alert signal was going off! The ship was falling!

"Aquamarine," Jasper announced as a holoscreen appeared. "You gotta get out of there...STEVEN?!"

"Hehe... heeeey Jasper..."

"I should of known you were behind this! I'll get you for this!"

The screen shot off, and the ship continued to descend. Steven looked out the window, noticing they were close to the ground. He quickly scrambled to his friend, and bubbled them both. The ship hit the ground with a loud thud. Dust was sent flying everywhere.

"STEVEN," the Crystal Gems screamed.

They ran over to inspect the rubble of the aircraft, but sighed in relief when they saw Steven crawling out.

"Are you ok," Pearl asked.

"Yeah," Steven groaned.

"Where's Spinel," Garnet asked.

"Right-"

"Here," Spinel finished.

"Spinel," they all screamed in excitement.

They were so happy that she was ok. They all got into a big group hug, but wait, she was still corrupted! Pearl was the first to step back from the hug. Spinel showing slight fear and anguish.

"What," she asked softly.

The others quickly spotted what Pearl was concerned about, and jumped as well. Spinel looked at her gloved hands, they seemed fine. What were they concerned and scared about? Why was she asking, why wouldn't they like her? She almost killed Steven... again! She said she would get better... but it looks like she didn't.

"Why... Why are ya all starin' at me like that?"

Steven quietly pointed behind her, looking at the clean steel of the ship. Spinel followed his instructions and gasped. She had tiny amounts of cracks all over her body. They seemed to be dripping when some kind of black liquid. Spinel noticed that the marks under her eyes, that resembled tear marks, were dripping! She hesitantly went to touch it, but stopped when asked a question.

"Is that what you hear," Steven asked out of the blue.

"What," Spinel said, completely turning his direction.

"The noise I heard when we fused... they sounded like screams. Screams of pain from millions of souls... like the cluster. Is that what you hear?"

Spinel blinked, slightly taken back by his sudden question. It was so random... and instant. However, she knew the answer of course, it was whether if she wanted to make him stress about it. She opened her mouth to speak, but quickly shut it. She thought over her words some more, then finally spoke.

"Y-Yes... that's what I hear."

The others looked in shock, but Steven looked in fear and concern. What he heard was not pleasant. Anyone who is put through that kind of mental torture will start to corrupt, in their own way. He reached out a hand to grab hers, but she retracted.

"Spinel... how long have you heard it?"

"...I don't know," she whispered, staring at her feet. "I don't know anything while I'm... while I'm corrupted." She looked up at Steven, eyes glossy with tears. "Steven... it hurts," she cried.

She wrapped herself in layers of her arms, as a mean of comfort. It didn't help much. Nothing would silence the screams in her head. She was helpless. Steven couldn't heal her, and the Diamonds certainly won't! What could they do?!

Spinel started to sob. She dropped to the floor, leaning back against the ship's metal. Her tears fell down her face, dripping to the gravel below. Her friends stared on in sadness. They wanted to help her, but no one knew how. If only this stupid rebellion would wash over, and the Diamonds actually become nice, then they could save Spinel!

"Spinel, I want to help you, really," Steven said, attempting to take a seat next to Spinel.

Spinel scooted away. The last thing she wanted right now was to go berserk and kill one of them! She was able to maintain her form after fusing, as far as she knew that was. She wanted it to stay that way.

"I don't know how, but I'll find a way to heal you, I promise," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Just like how you promised to be my friend," she whispered, not making eye contact with the boy.

"Huh... Spinel I-"

Spinel politely moved his hand off her shoulder and got up. She stared down at him. She looked  sad, but she was going for intimidating.

"I don't want to hear it! You p-promised to be my friend," she cried through sobs. "Why did you l-lie to me?! At least tell me what I did wrong! Please..." she cried, touching her gem. "Am I the problem?"

"NO," Steven screamed, causing Spinel to flinch. "Please don't think that! It's me! It was always me! You were-no are the perfect friend! You're always by your friends' side no matter what! You've been getting SO much better at not hurting people... and then there's me. I just believed Aquamarine just like that. I abandoned you... so, you have every right to hate me. But... I really want to make it up to you. So... please... what can I do to get you to be my friend again?!"

There was a long silence. The atmosphere was so thick you could cut it with a knife! Spinel finally looked at Steven, her eyes tearing through him like daggers.

"Nothing. You can do nothing," she said coldly.

Steven blinked rapidly, hiding the tears about to fall. He hung his head low, but lifted it up again with a small smile.

"Ok," he squeaked. "But... at least let me heal you."

She stared at him for a moment, before agreeing. "Ok... do you even know how?"

He rubbed the back of his neck, and Spinel sighed in response. She took a seat, leaning against the ship again, and rubbing her head. She tried to soothe the noise a bit. Steven returned to his friends, huddling up with them.

"Garnet... anyone... have any ideas," Steven asked.

"No," Bismuth answered, side-eyeing Spinel who looked in pain.

"No, sorry," Lapis replied.

"Have you tried kissing her gem," Peridot asked.

"Yeah, it was the first thing I did. As you can see... it didn't work."

"I don't know if you can help her Steven," Pearl stated. "You needed all four of you last time."

"I know, why can't it be that easy?! Why couldn't she have been with us from the start?! Why did mom do things like this?! If she was there that day at the fountain, she would be fine! But noooo! Mom had to go and-"

"Wait! Steven shut up," Amethyst shouted.

"Wha-rude," Steven huffed.

"All four of you were in the fountain right," Amethyst asked.

"Yeah, so?"

"So, just give her left overs!"

"What?! That doesn't..." Steven gasped in realization.

"Amethyst you're a genius," Steven praised, hugging the purple gem. "Since all four of us were there, then there should've some leftover healing juice!"

"It is one of the possibilities I saw," Garnet admitted.

"Will that work," Peridot asked. "Surely after two,or so years, it must have dried out."

"Well, only one way to find out!"

Steven walked over to his pink friend, who was still huddled against the ship. He hated seeing her like this. Hurt... sad... hopeless. But he was determined to help her, whether she'd like him afterward or not!

"I think I know how to heal you."