Chapter Text
Her body burned.
Though she had never gone through this before, Rose knew this would mark the end of her era. She was going to birth her child, and dissipate soon after. She knew, and although it would hurt her- she’d never live to apologize to the others. For leaving them. She...wouldn't be leaving them though, would she? She couldn't interact, but she was sure they knew she loved them.
“Rose?” Greg interrupted her thoughts. “Rose, I… I’m here for you, okay?” He comforted, holding onto her arm. “I know you won’t be..around- but I promise I’ll do my best alone, okay? You don’t have to worry- I’ll take care of the baby.”
“Greg…” Rose huffed, feeling her insides turn. Something pulled at her gem from the inside- and she winced as she felt herself- felt her very form flicker. “Please, promise me no matter what- you’ll make sure they- whoever they grow up to be, make sure they experience as… as much as they can.”
“I promise. I promise, Rose.” Greg said, holding onto Rose’s hand with a firm grip. Rose smiled at him, huffing, wincing as her body twitched and fizzled out- feeling her gem vibrate. Oh, stars, this was it. This was her moment. She was going to disappear. She was going to become half of something she loved- that she fought for. If it had to take this pain for her wish to come to fruition… Then so be it.
Her breath hitched, and she prepared herself. The fizzing feeling had spread across her entire body now, and she saw herself emitting more, and more light. Her eyes closed, and her senses started to fade as the buzzing she heard spread across her body…
Until it stopped.
Her body stopped fizzling, and she soon realized the inside of her body had stopped turning. She didn’t feel any pain, or...or anything wrong with her. Stars, she couldn’t feel anything below her legs-
“..Ah- aaaAAah!”
And suddenly, a brand new feeling overcame her. Something in her body told her that the crying needed to stop- to ease that feeling, but she wasn't sure why. Though she was confused enough, she took a second to look at Greg as her eyebrows turned up in question as the shrill piercing cry deafened her ears. “Greg,” she questioned, “what… What is..”
Greg looked at her, then to the source of the sound below her legs- before his eyes softened, and grew wet with tears. “Rose, I…” His breath hitched in his throat. He was on his knees, and he gently shushed the sound- as it sniffled and cried. Greg's eyes started to well up with tears, and he looked “He…He’s okay.”
“He..?” Rose questioned. She didn’t understand. How was she still…there? How was she still alive? And- and how was her child- how was he alive?
“Rose, look!” Greg shuffled towards her, on his knees, having wrapped the bundle in a towel beforehand, and handing him- handing their child- towards her. ”Rose, he’s okay! He’s healthy, he’s alive, he.. I-I mean, look!” Greg said, handing him to Rose. She confusedly took the ball of fabric from Greg’s arms, looking down.
He had her curls, Greg's face, which was red as he wailed and cried, tiny hands- perfect hands- which Rose took, gently cupping his tiny fists as her eyes stared down in wonder at him as he hiccupped.
“Shh, shh…” She shushed, trying her best to calm him down. “You’re okay. Oh, you’re perfect, so small..” She cooed. “I just… I don’t understand…”
Greg smiled, his hand extending. “Actually, I wanted to show you.” He smiled, gently grabbing onto the cloth around the newborns midsection.
Rose looked to Greg’s hands- before she gasped, her eyes widening. She looked at the newborn, then Greg, then to his hand, before resting on the newborn’s stomach.
In the place of where a human belly button would be, there seemed to be a gem.
Her gem.
“But I… I don’t understand.” She admitted, holding the baby close to her. “I thought for sure he would take my gem, I just… How does he have one all on his own?”
“Well, as they say, the human body can do some crazy things.” Greg joked. “And he does have a pretty cool human dad!”
Rose looked to Greg, before turning to the baby- who had calmed down with Rose’s touch. A sense of calm overcame her, and she smiled. She gently rocked him from side to side, and she turned to Greg with a smile.
"Gather the gems." She asked, and he nodded with a smile as he ran out of the van. She stared down at him, her child.
And she started to cry.
"Oh, my baby.." She started, fat tears gently welling up in the corners of her eyes. "Hello there. It's so nice to finally meet you. I..." She let go of his hand, and he whined a bit, turning in her arms. "Oh, don't be upset. You.. Ah. You must be hungry, correct?" She asked, as if he could answer, and he made a small "neh" sound in response. She giggled at his noises, before reaching over to a bottle- one Greg prepared once she disappeared. But now that she was okay, now that she was here, she could do it herself.
The warmth of the bottle was sobering to her senses, as she raised it to Steven's lips. He quickly latched onto the warm bottle, the formula quickly flowing into his hungry mouth. She smiled at him. He was so small, so utterly helpless- and he was hers. She made him. She... she didn't want anything to happen to him.
A knock on the van doors snapped her out of her thoughts, as the doors opened. Greg's face peeked in, and his face softened as he looked at the domestic scene before him. "Hey, Rose. I got the gems. Is he okay?"
"He's perfect." Rose smiled, as the door opened up a little more. The faces of the gems- Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl met her eyes, and her loving face smiled at them. "I...I want you all to meet him. Please, come in."
Though they were wary at first, the gems came in slowly. First, Amethyst. Then Garnet. And finally, with a wary look, Pearl came in. She looked at Rose with a surprised look, noticing her before the baby.
"..I..I thought you'd be gone." Pearl said, covering her mouth with her hand. "I..I thought..."
Garnet removed her visor, getting a better look at the child in Rose's arms. "This was a probable future, but... It was so far away, I was sure."
"Hey little gem!" Amethyst teased, leaning over Rose's shoulder. "Rose, it's so small! Are they supposed to be that small?"
Greg answered for her. "Well, yeah. Babies are usually that small regardless. In fact, he seems healthy for his size. Or...well, in terms of baby size."
Rose smiled. “Whatever the case, I’m so glad he’s okay." She gently held him close to her. "Welcome home…”
“...Steven.”
Rose awoke with a start- looking to her side as Steven slumbered in the bed next to her chair. She smiled at him in the dim moonlight, pushing the blanket towards him a little more as he tucked in.
Another dream of the past, she smiled, thinking to herself.
And another day I can watch you grow.