The Gems were relaxing in the Temple. The weather was warm and the sky was blue. But a gray cloud seemed to be hanging over them. Rose...Was gone.
"Hey! Um..." Greg awkwardly broke the silence as he stepped into the stone alcove. In his arms he held two little squirming figures. Cradled in one arm, he held a little boy with a chubby face and thin, curly hair. In the other, swaddled in a pink blanket, a little girl with dark brown hair. Or what could be seen of it through the blanket.
"Ahaha! Greg did you get hit by a tornado?" Amethyst laughed as she walked over. Greg's eyes had dark circles underneath them and his shirt was covered with various types of baby food.
"Hello, Amethyst," He tiredly greeted. "Hello Garnet."
"Hello Greg." Garnet said as she joined the two. "Why are you here?" She asked.
"Look, I really need you to watch Steven and Rosie. A van is no good place for a baby." Greg said, exasperated. By now the little children had lost Amethyst's interest and she'd wandered off. Garnet looked Greg up and down. He obviously needed a break from these children to rest. So she simply said,
"Sure." Greg gave a sigh of relief.
"Alright, just keep an eye on them. All their toys and food are in this bag." Greg expertly pulled a bag off his shoulder and around Steven. He spread the pink blanket over the ground and set Steven And Rosie on it. He placed the bag next to them. The two were instantly tugging at the bag and glancing up at Greg.
"Do you two want a toy? Alrighty!" Greg lovingly opened the bag and pulled out a baby rattle and a toy drum and gave them to the babies, who glanced at each other for a second and than instantly began playing.
"Thanks a lot Garnet. You two be good!" Greg departed.
"Aw man, do we have to watch them?" Amethyst complained as she wandered back over to the babies. Garnet didn't reply, but instead looked down at the two smiling babies. And for the first time in a long while, a small smile appeared on Garnet's face.
Pearl quietly slipped into her room. Normally the soothing flow of the waters calmed her, but she felt enraged. She wanted Rose! Not two little organic humans! Her frustration broke into tears.
"Oh Rose..." She sighed. Rose was gone, but Pearl was still here. How would she get through this? She sighed and gracefully leaped into the water and floated there, grieving. And as Pearl lied there, she could swear she heard the echoes of happy laughter.