Raising Steven Chapter 1

Part 1: Memories Are Not Forgotten

Tender little cries, belonging to a small baby boy, echoed down the halls of the small beach home which made everyone's ears perk up from their sleep. His gentle cry even woke up a young nine year old girl who slept in the living room couch.

"Grr...would you please shut up Steven!" Amethyst hissed through her teeth as she pulled the pillow closer to her ears to block out the cries.

"Pearl! Garnet! Mr. Universe! Help me..."

Nothing was heard in reply. With annoyance, Amethyst threw her legs to the side of the couch and rubbed her starry eyes. She caught a glimpse of Steven's arms that were reaching out for a hand that would comfort him.

"Mr. Universe?" Amethyst asked out as she remembered that Steven's father, Greg, was going to stay with them for a few weeks and help with Steven. However, she received no reply or snore from the clumsy man which made her frustrated.

"So much for helping out," Amethyst grunted, "Please tell me that Steven needs milk...not another gross diaper change."

She slowly got up and shuffled her feet toward the small crib that held Steven. The baby was the smallest being Amethyst ever saw in her life. His round rosy cheeks stood out from his face and his dark brown eyes shined at the sight of a familiar face. Small fingers and toes were grasping in the air as he struggled under his blue blanket and pajamas. Carefully, Amethyst picked up the baby and cradled him in her arms just like Pearl taught her.

"So little guy...you already seem to like me." The girl sheepishly said as she brushed Steven's hair through her fingers. "I wonder how your gem looks like. Does it look like your mom's or do you have a special one of your own?¨

Amethyst moved her purple hand under Steven's shirt and felt the small crystal gem on his belly. She moved her hand upward to try and catch a glimpse of his gem until she heard the temple's door open and light footsteps walk into the scene.

"Ohh...you got him?" Amethyst heard which made her roll her sleepy eyes.

"Yes Pearl. I already got him...like ten minutes ago. Geez, do you really take that long to just get up?"

The young girl shook her head as her eyes met Pearl's appearance. Pearl had hair rollers in her short hair as well as facial spa mask cream spreaded across her face which made Amethyst giggle. Pearl looked like an average teenage girl in her white tank top and blue pajama shorts.

"Well yes, but that was quicker than the other times."

"Yeah right Ms. Perfect." Amethyst argued back as she walked back to the couch to settle baby Steven down.

"Well Ms. Perfect...are you gonna help me or not?"

Pearl snickered as she walked in the living room and made her way toward Amethyst. Once she was there her eyebrows were raised when she saw someone missing.

"Where's Greg?" Pearl asked in curiosity as she turned her head around looking for him.

Amethyst just shrugged at her question which made Pearl face palmed. The teenager didn't really like Greg since she saw him as an irresponsible father. However while pregnant, Rose Quartz would always claim that Greg would make an outstanding father which made the three other gems question her.

"Ugh! What could he be doing now?" Complained the teenager while rubbing her eye temples with her boney fingers.

"It doesn't matter. Just help me! I think Steven is hungry. His diaper doesn't stink at all." Amethyst interrupted Pearl before she went into her negative thoughts.

The purple gem gently placed Steven on Pearl's lap for her to cradle him to sleep. Pearl took Steven in her arms and placed him on her right shoulder so she can hush Steven and pat his back. While doing this, the teenager would always sing a small song Rose would sing to them when the Crystal Gems were in tough times of fear.

"Child of the stars

I'm here to heal your scars

I'll always be here, so stop your weeping

Through the thunder and rain

You won't suffer any pain

As you fall asleep

Under my blanket of love"

After her last line, Pearl closed her eyes and felt the absolute bliss of the baby's peaceful atmosphere. That is until she heard a small burp come from his mouth which made Amethyst burst in laughter.

"Ha! He burped right in your ear!"

"Oh hush! At least he didn't puke on my shoulder like he did to Garnet last week."

After her statement, Pearl and Amethyst couldn't help but laugh even harder by remembering the embarrassing time Garnet went through.

"True. The look on Garnet's face will always be priceless." Amethyst said.

"I know right. We should've taken a picture of her." Pearl laughed until she received a kick in the stomach by Steven. The baby just giggled at his mischievous act in his light sweet tone which warmed Pearl's heart.

"I already like this kid. I can tell we're going to get along fine."

The younger gem looked over Pearl's shoulder to look directly at Steven's round face and poked his nose in a playful way. Although she was quite annoyed that Steven was going to be a handful to look after, Amethyst did enjoy his company.

"I can already see that. You know you can see him as a younger brother. He's already one of us since he has...," Pearl struggled as she looked away from Amethyst and stared directly at the ground, "...Rose's gem..."

Upon noticing this, young Amethyst smiled her best while hugging Pearl, who was near the verge letting her tears out. She also felt the same pain of her loss. Rose Quartz was an amazing mentor who cared and taught the gems many fighting tricks as well as act as an adoptive mother for them. The kind pink gem even saved mankind by standing up to an evil force, but that story was well hidden from the Crystal Gems because they didn't knew much about it.

"Don't cry Pearly. I miss her too, but-"

"How's Steven doing?" A deep feminine English voice interrupted Amethyst which caused the two gems to raise their heads; including Steven.

"Garnet? What….?" Amethyst asked in confusion only to get a nudge in the ribs by Pearl.

"How is Steven?" Garnet asked once again as she stepped out of her room and walked down the steps. Her masculine shoulders were shown tensed under her deep red tank top that slipped past her shoulders and her gauntlets were already presented on her hands.

The tall red gem quickly made her way toward her companions which made Amethyst and Pearl wonder what was wrong until a small faint smile formed from Garnet's lips. A smile was formed because Steven already had his arms reaching out for her to hold him. The older teenager discarded her gauntlets in just a few seconds.

"Sorry gems. I had a terrible nightmare about Rose and Steven. With Steven crying, I feared that it came true." Garnet explained as she lifted Steven up and bounced him up and down.

Amethyst and Pearl just looked at each other and back at Garnet with their mouths open as no words came from them. Pearl though motioned with her hands for Garnet to continue her story.

"Rose had Steven in her arms while walking through a meadow, but there was something following them. It was big and it had large claws that seemed like sharp knives. I still don't know what it is, but something happened..."

"What is it Garnet? Did it kill them?" Amethyst asked in desperation with wide eyes.

Without even directly looking at them, Garnet nodded her head and brought Steven closer to her. Pearl gasped and had her hands cupped to her mouth while Amethyst shook her head to get the gory image out of her head.

"That's why we should always keep our eye out on Steven and make sure nothing harms him. Especially you Amethyst. You may not be able to activate your weapon yet, but you have the same strength as us."

Amethyst shook her head in understanding and felt a new heavyweight brought upon her shoulders. It felt like she was responsible for Steven even if Garnet and Pearl were also going to guard him. She glanced down her oversized black shirt to see her gem on her chest. It may not be able to do anything at the moment, but she sometimes felt a little rush in her gem. Amethyst knew that her time to discover her weapon was closer than she knew.

"What could the beast possibly want?" Pearl asked as she tapped her index finger on her chin.

"I think it was after Rose's gem because after it killed them, it ran off with something in its mouth. I don't even know why it was after her gem."

"But, how was Rose or Steven alive if one of them doesn't have their gem? I thought Crystal Gems always needed their gem or they'll be dead. Also, why didn't Rose defend herself?" Pearl wondered loudly which made Amethyst growl in annoyance.

"Ugh, why do you ask so many pointless questions Pearl? It's just a nightmare which means that it's not real or true."

"As if you knew better! What if Rose is signaling us that something wants to harm Steven...or even possibly us?"

"Well if..." Amethyst began and soon her words trailed off when she realized that Pearl was right. "Well then...uhh...fine. You win."

Pearl snorted in approval and crossed her arms at her victory. However before Pearl can bicker, Steven began to cry again.

"Why don't we just give him milk? He'll probably just shut up with it." Amethyst said and yawned while stretching her arms. "I'm very sleepy anyway. Either you guys take him or I'll just sleep out on the shore."

Before she could make her way to the front door, she heard Steven snivel for her to come toward him. Amethyst grunted in frustration and made her way to the baby. Once again, Steven was in her arms and was pulling her long light purple hair.

"Where the heck is his bottle?"

With Amethyst's question being said, Pearl got up and frantically looked around the room for Steven's bottle. She looked in drawers, cabinets, under the couch and bed, but she had no luck at all.

"What happened to all of them? I swore we bought ten bottles for him last week, but they just mysteriously disappear. Garnet are you going to help look for them?"

Garnet ignored Pearl and held a hand up signaling the Crystal Gems that something was wrong.

"Did you hear that gems? Something is outside the main door."

Pearl and Amethyst were confused at first until a loud voice rang outside the main door which made them jump. The second oldest gem summoned her weapon from the pearl on her forehead and snuck up behind Garnet. Her hands were already gripped onto her spear in case the unknown thing from behind the main door was planning to attack them.

"Pearl I want you to go behind the door to hold your spear onto their neck when they enter. Amethyst take Steven into my room and don't touch anything." Garnet ordered the girls. She lightly dashed toward the temple's entrance and held her gems to the pattern on it which activated the door to open.

"Quickly!"

Amethyst held Steven closer to her and ran into the temple with a small fear that was forming inside her gut. Once she was inside, she looked back toward the others with unconfident eyes as they were already into their places so they can attack. Her purple eyes even tried to adjust to the dark shadow behind the door, but the temple's door closed before she can see who it really was.

Hello Steven Universe fandom! I'm also an author for the Gravity Falls community (I'm TheFallingPenguin), but I'm going to be more active here.

Don't forget to follow/favorite/review because those fuel me to write more! :D

**NOTE: This story was written before "So Many Birthdays" in which Pearl clearly stated that they don't age at all and live for a very long time (beyond a human's lifespan), making it confusing for the story, on why the gems are younger than they seem and are described that they age. I'm going to keep it that way because it is part of this story's beauty which is to show the gems growing older as well as Steven. So consider this story an AU. Please keep this in mind as you read the rest of the story. The gems still have have their powers and strange features. Thanks a bunch!**

-Gem Goddess (GG)