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The orange view of the sunset was a beauty to watch from the front of Steven’s former house. He couldn’t bring himself to forget the fresh smell of salt in the air and the feeling of his feet digging into the sand with every step he took. That was one of the few things he missed ever since he moved out of the beach house. Though the home he once grew up in was not at all abandoned, he’d never wish for that to happen. Once he grew old enough, he’d decided for him and Connie to finally start living in a new house of their own. As soon as he left the beach house, Lapis, Peridot, and Bismuth were more than happy to take his space.
That had happened years ago. A lot has changed since then. Steven and Connie had lived happily married in the house they built by the cliff, the place that had the best view of Beach City from above. The formerly corrupted Gems had created a community for themselves right on the outskirts of the city, where they made a small town with the help of Bismuth. Lapis and Peridot had announced their relationship as Percy and Pierre, much to his joy.
Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst were still the same old gems that he grew to love. He still comes by every now and then to see them. And every single time, they always greet them with open arms. Pearl has always had a habit of crying whenever he left, despite Amethyst exhaustingly reminding her that he does not live far from the city. It still makes him laugh occasionally, very touched to know they all love him so much.
...But this time is different. He didn’t come here to just say hi. Garnet was the one that called him to come over, preferably at a time when the rest of the Crystal Gems weren’t at the temple. Steven would have asked her why from over the phone (yes, a phone. Steven gifted them a house phone in order for them to keep in touch) but by the tone of her voice, he could tell it was serious.
And so, he waited for Garnet, who was watching the very same sunset from beside him. They were both quiet for a good moment. Garnet wasn’t always the best at starting conversation, Steven was fully aware of that, but for a second, he wasn’t sure if he should start off with a light-hearted joke. Whatever Garnet needed to talk to him about, it is most certainly not a laughing matter.
“You know,” Steven started off, not taking his eyes off the beach waves, “Connie should be about 20 weeks pregnant… I’m kinda excited, actually.” He rubbed at the back of his neck, releasing the tension at the nape. “We’re only halfway there and everything is happening so fast. We even found out the gender just a few days ago!” Steven smiled at the thought, “Priyanka told us that we have a healthy boy coming our way. Connie was just jumping out of her chair and beaming all day.” His eyes brightened at the memory, “It’s crazy to think that I’m about to be a father soon. Even my dad couldn’t get over it.”
“Steven.”
Finally, he let his own eyes gaze at her. Garnet hesitated to do the same, her fists tightening against the railing of the house as they slightly tremble. “I’ve had… Visions.. Of your baby.”
“My baby?” Steven questions just before brushing off with a smile, “Well that’s great! Tell me, is he just as strong and smart as his own mother?”
Garnet bit at her lip, her face hung low, “He… He will..”
Steven stared at the stressed gem, all his happy emotions disappearing quick as concern came over his face. “Garnet..? Is something wrong?”
She breathed in, “I don’t know how to tell this to you Steven..”
“That’s fine, you can just tell me little by little if you want.”
“I'm just worried, Steven.” She sighed, finding the courage to look up at him. “Your son. He’s going to be born at the end of fall, but I worry about what will happen.”
Steven blinked, “Why do you say that?”
“Once he’s due, there’s a chance that he will be born fully human. While that may sound well, there’s also an equal chance that he will be born as a half human… Like you.”
They stood in silence, only the sound of the crashing waves rang in their ears. Garnet’s face was worrisome, just showing how much this was making her anxious. Steven, however, was emotionless. He only stood, wide-eyed at Garnet. She couldn’t tell what he was feeling at the moment.
Finally, Steven came with a small chuckle, his hand coming up to brush at his dark hair, “Wow, Garnet, that really is amazing! So many things could happen. Whether he is human or a hybrid, I’m sure I’ll love him all the same! As long as he got his family and friends by his side to take care of him, he’ll turn out great-”
“Don’t you understand?!”
Steven stopped, shocked at Garnet’s sudden snap. It’s far too long since he’s seen this side of Garnet. He couldn’t read her eyes through the shades, but the tremble was still there.
“Steven, please listen to me… If your baby ever comes to be a half gem, they won’t survive long after birth… They won’t be able to live without a gem. And even if they could, it will only be at the process of Connie dying.”
Steven’s eyes widen, the thought of his wife kept him frozen, “C-Connie? Dying? Why would that h-happen?”
Garnet shrugged her shoulders, breathing out slowly, “While your kid may be born as a gemless gem, there’s a possibility that they can still survive if they absorb the life around them, just like real gems. That means that Connie’s life is at risk if that were to happen.”
Time froze into place. Even the wind itself seem to stop for a moment. The silence grew over them quickly. It was quiet enough for them to hear a pin drop to the planks that creaked beneath them. Steven’s jaw hung open, trying hard to find his voice again. Garnet’s golden shades finally disappear in a flash of light, her giant eyes looking over to the boy she once raised. Sympathy was written in her expression. She wanted nothing more than to comfort the distraught boy in her arms.
Steven’s mind processed every word that the older gem had told him. The vision of Connie’s life in danger was enough to scare Steven. He wasn’t too sure of what to think. When Connie had brought up the idea of starting a family, he agreed in an instant. He always wanted kids, and he had thought hard in the past. In the end, he hoped that all will turn well for the best. As much as he expected for his child to be half gem, he never expected that Connie would be in high risk. If he knew sooner, then he’d think harder about this life changing decision.
But there wasn’t any turning back now. His unborn child is coming soon. He needs to be prepared for what is to come, and he will need to prepare soon. He’d already had a plan in mind, now it is a matter of hoping that it will work. If it means putting his life on the line for Connie and soon-to-be son, then he’s ready.
“I see..” He says, slowly, “Thank you for telling me.”
Months later, Garnet could have never prepared herself for this…
When her vision appeared before her, Garnet had to think twice before believing it.
Something had to be wrong..! The baby wasn’t due for another month!
More streams and coursing rivers of possibilities had come over her once again, like a giant wave charging towards her with a big impact. She was afraid to move for a moment. She didn’t feel ready yet. She thought she could still have time…
Time for what..? She wasn’t too sure. Perhaps she made herself believe that maybe… just maybe, she would be able to find a solution for this. But how? The future had already chosen its path of fate, and there was nothing she could do about it…
That baby won’t survive… not without a gem.
With all the strength she had, she forced her legs to move… to hurry. There won’t be much time left. The sight of seeing it scared her, but she needed to be there. She had to be there for Steven…
And as quickly as she could, she left her room out of the temple.
The Universe’s house was not hard to miss. Garnet wasn’t hesitant to yank the door open, leaving the wooden surface abused by her strength. When looking inside the cozy living room, Garnet could already see a shivering Pearl, streams of tears filling her eyes, being accompanied by Bismuth and Amethyst as they do their best to bring her to the nearest seat.
Lapis sat against a wall, hugging her legs close to her chest as Peridot leans her cheek on her shoulder. Lapis’ looked down at the golden color of her sandals, her eyes unreadable. Peridot’s own eyes were gleaming bright from the built up water, but she does her best to keep herself strong.
The whole room wasn’t as warm and welcoming as Garnet had once remembered. Only filled with sorrow and loss..
No one bothered to look at her. Garnet didn’t bother to bring attention to herself either. She was here, she needed to see Steven..
With a clenched fist, she made her way past her gem family, walking into the hallway. She made the best she could to only look at the wooden floor ahead of her. She didn’t know if she could handle looking at the framed pictures of Steven, hung up against the walls as he happily smiled away. She reminded herself to breathe, coming to the end of the hall and stopping at a closed room.
The white door stood in front of her, feeling smaller and smaller as Garnet stared at it. Many thoughts channel through her head, coming and going. The panic coming over her was almost enough to make her split. The inner Ruby inside her wanting to run away from the situation, and the other Sapphire trying to keep her cool long enough to get the nightmare over with.
No. She needed to face this straight on.
With one more breath, she prepared herself as she slowly turned the knob, entering into the master bedroom…
Her eyes was first met with Connie. She was fast asleep on her bed, the exhaustion of giving birth taking up the energy she had left. She looked so peaceful, as if there was no worry in the world. Her hair sprawled over her soft pillow, the rising moon shining through the window and hitting her dark skin.
Her mother busied herself on the other side of the room, keeping her eye on the bundle in her arms as she slowly cradled the smaller being. She hummed slowly to a song with a beautiful melody, her motherly instincts kicking in as if the smaller boy had once been her daughter.
Garnet’s presence was enough to catch the doctor’s attention. She turned to the larger woman, nodding for the gem to come over. Garnet’s hands loosened, quietly making her way over to Connie’s mother.
Her eyes glance over to the hair that popped out of the soft pink blanket. Coming closer, Garnet was finally met with the face of a baby. In many ways, he looked a lot like his father, from the chubby cheeks to the dark black-brown color of his hair. His beautiful locks weren’t as curly as Garnet would have thought. Instead, his strands were wavy like his mother’s own hair, just like the similarities in their nose.
The baby stirred in their slumber, a small hand stretching out and pushing away its blanket, uncovering their fragile body. The shine of a rose-color gemstone reflected off the moon light from the navel, sitting still. Upon closer inspection, Garnet frowned, looking down on her reflection of the gem displayed before her. All at once, Garnet remembered her reason for coming here. Her body sat still in a chilling sweat, all her previous panic coming back to haunt her again.
“Where’s Steven?” She demanded, her teeth gritting for the worst. The mother before her could only frown, her mind bringing up the memory she wishes she could forget. Her eyebrows drop into a grief, her voice caught in her throat. She was unable to say what had happened before Garnet’s arrival. So, she spoke with little words as she could.
“He’s… in the next room.”
Garnet turned quickly, leaving no time for Priyanka to say any more. She walked out of the room didn’t waste no time to open into the room closest to her. The door creaked slowly, letting faded light enter into the dim room. The plain space was decorated with a bed and a night stand. She guessed that this was nothing more than a guest room. Stepping inside, she could hear nothing but the creaking wooden floor below her. It was silent.. Awfully silent.
She walked over to the side of the bed, watching over a figure that had yet to react over her presence. That deep feeling in her gut was digging itself deeper and deeper..
And just for one moment, Garnet had a chance to breathe. A wind of relief sweeping over her in a moment’s notice once she saw the familiar face of a younger boy who once looked at her with bright innocent eyes.
Her touch of reality came back just as fast, and those shining eyes were gone in an instant. His skin was pale and dark bags made spot under his lids. There was no color in his face. A cold as stone sight had Garnet frozen in place.
A shivering hand was desperate to grab Steven’s own. His fingers were no longer warm like she remembered. Her hand kept moving up, now touching his wrist. She couldn’t feel a pulse.. No sign of breathing, heavy or light. Every second was another moment Garnet realizes that she could not change the fate of this present scene.
She found it heartbreaking. To think, Steven was the person that reminded her that they’ll always have the power to change the future at will. No matter how certain a path may scene, she was always surprised and surprised again at how he had so easily change the stream of possibilities. Now, Garnet would have given up her own gems if it meant she could change this course of fate.
Her sight began to blur. Her cheeks had become damp as tears rolled down to her chin. She grasped his hand, shaking. Her shoulders trembled. Her legs could no longer hold her weight, dropping to her knees.
She couldn't bare to go through this again. The loss of Rose Quartz was too much for her to handle.. But, she had always been there from the start of Steven's life. She helped raise him into the great person he is now… She couldn't handle losing another…
Bismuth had entered the room, watching Garnet's mourning state. As much as it pained everyone, Bismuth needed to help pick everyone up. They all needed someone to be there for them, just as Steven did for her. The rainbow haired gem landed her hand on her friend's arm, rubbing gently before pulling her up. Garnet had quieted now, leaning against Bismuth.
For a while, it had only been the two of them. Everything else had disappeared around them. Garnet tried her best to not cry out. Ruby was a terrible mess and Sapphire was just the same. After everything that they have gone through, they held themselves together desperately through it.
As hard as it will be, they all knew that they will need to accept it. Learn to move on once again. No matter how many times they go through the same sorrow, it will never become easier.
"He's at peace Garnet. We'll be fine without him." She spoke with a calming reassurance, "Steven will always be remembered for the things he's done for us. But now, we must be strong. Stellar will need us to be there to guide him…"
Garnet rose her head, looking up at her. Bismuth wrapped her arm around her in a tight and comforting hug, "...He's going to need you to teach him. Be there for him just like you were there for all of us."
"Yeah…" Garnet whispered, coming over her quivering voice, "You're right."
She needed to learn to accept his end. The first step will be the hardest, but she must bear with it.
And so, she finally let go of his hand, being guided out of the room and into a new future..
"Don't worry Stellar… Your father was a great man. I have no doubt you will become someone great too."