Disclaimer: I do not own Steven Universe nor any of its characters or likeness. This story is for entertainment purposes only. Please forgive my choppy writing.

Author's Notes: So I've recently started watching Steven Universe, and I was inspired to write this little aftermath to the episode "Rose's Scabbard". Enjoy.

The sun had just gone down. Garnet and Amethyst had just departed onto a mission, while Pearl opted to stay behind and clean the house after a long day of everyone laying around. She didn't mind doing it, in fact, she found it quite relaxing. Pearl felt that after the last few days she had, she needed time to herself. It was so quiet within the home that Pearl hardly heard the little boy creeping up behind her. At once there was a small tug on the back of her waist ribbon. She tuned around to see the young curly headed boy's big eyes staring up at her. "Oh hello Steven." The two of them hadn't spoken to each other in over two days, and last time they did Pearl had been crying her eyes out while wrapped in Steven's arms. It was not one of her most shinning moments, but it felt like something she had been holding in for awhile that needed to get out.

"Do you love me" Steven asked with a quiet whimper to his voice.

Pearl chuckled to herself. "What? Steven, what kind of question is that?"

"I'm serious" He snapped. Small tears were slowly becoming visible in the moonlight.

Now starting to get worried about the young boy Pearl spoke plainly. "Of course I love you. What on Earth brought this up?"

Steven peered down at the floor, and he shuffled his foot in a circular motion. "I don't know. It's just recently I've noticed you getting really upset whenever my mom is mentioned."

Pearl could now see what this was about, and she couldn't help but feel guilty for it. She knew she had run away from him when they had found Rose's sword, but she hadn't realized that it hurt him so badly. Pearl took in a deep breathe and sighed. "Well as you've obviously seen it's no secret that I miss her."

"But do you wish she was here instead of me" Steven interrupted. There was subtle crack in his voice showing that he was hesitant about asking the question.

Pearl did not falter at the assertion, even though her heart was now strongly aching. "Oh Steven." He continued to look up at her with watery eyes. "Your mother was a great gem. She always saw the best in everybody. A trait that I was I never good at, or still not. When she left, it killed me. I didn't understand why she would give herself up for something so trivially human as giving birth." Steven lowered his head to the floor as though he had something to be ashamed of. However, Pearl got down on her knees and pulled his chin up so she could look him in the eye. "That was before I first held you in my arms. I didn't know what it was, but something about you was so beautiful. The way you smiled when I ruffled your hair, how you would occasionally grab my nose out of curiosity, or that I was the only one you would let sing you to sleep." Now Pearl was beginning to tear up herself, she hadn't thought of those memories in a long time. She smiled through the water streaks on her face. "Steven we all love you, Garnet, Amethyst, your father, and especially me. You ask why I get so upset when I hear mention of Rose. It's not because I wish she was here instead of you. It's because I wish she could see you grow up, and that you could have your own mom."

The young boy stared at her for a few moments, and then suddenly he wrapped his arms around her. Pearl was not expecting the embrace, and it slightly caught her off guard. She then felt Steven lean in close to her ear and say. "Pearl when are you going to realize you are my mom."

A warm shutter resonated in Pearl's heart. "Steven I..."

However, Steven wouldn't let Pearl finish. He hugged her even tighter. "I know she's my birth mom, but you took care of me when I got sick, you tucked me in at night, and you taught me about life and the difference between right and wrong. It's because of all of this that I got worried. I thought that if you didn't love me as a son, then was all of those kind things you did only because you thought of me as her."

Pearl was taken aback, it all made sense now. She broke away from Steven's hug and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. "I love every little thing about you, even the parts that have nothing to do with Rose. You are and always will be my baby." The tears that once were trickling down her face were now flowing, and a small choke in her voice began to form. "And...I'm so sorry that I made you feel like you were less than anything I wanted out of you. You are the perfect little boy, and I don't want you to ever think that I don't want you here. You're one of the few things I enjoy out of my life, and if I ever lost you I don't know what I would do." Steven reached up and wiped her tears away. Pearl grasped onto the outside of his hand as she felt his palm on her skin. Her smile once again returned and she whispered "It's getting kind of late, would you like me to tuck you in for old times sake?"

Steven smiled back at her. "I would like that." The two of them climbed the short staircase that led to Steven's bed. The young boy crawled under the covers as Pearl patted them down to make sure they were firm and snug. She slowly began to walk away, and Steven called out to her. "Good night Pearl, I love you."

Pearl gazed back over her shoulder with a deep grin on her face. "I love you too Steven." With that she went back downstairs, and she quietly resumed her cleaning of the house. Pearl knew she just experienced a moment she would never forget, and she wasn't sure she wanted to. A deep glow of care and love grew within her, and she was proud to be one of the lucky people who was able to love Steven.