Chapter 6

After the 1991 "Burner" incident, most of the people who had lived in Beach City decided that they had had enough, packed up, and left. Due to budget cuts, the small military base was relocated further inland. The military did not cooperated as much with the gems in the following years. As the years went on, more and more people would drift away from Beach City. The area around the collapsed mine was avoided by the remaining citizens out of fear of the lingering radiation. The gems continued with their task of protecting humanity, but things were never quite the same. Rose never fully recovered from her encounter with the unholy statue, nor did she ever forgive herself for the mercy killing of the former human.

She never spoke about what had transpired within the bowels of the mine. The gems never asked her out of respect but knew that it had changed their once proud leader into a shade of her former glory. Her movements seemed sluggish compared to the other gems. When in combat, Rose never used her sword again. While not in combat, she would spend hours in the temple archives going through centuries of recorded human and crystal gem history. She had discovered that many of the crystal temples that once protected the planet were missing, with their resident gems unaccounted for. It was becoming apparent that the age of the crystal gems was finally coming to an end. Without the crystal gems, mankind would be at the mercy of the many crystal entities that roamed through the void of space. With everything looking darker and darker by the day, Rose began to believe that all the good in the world was gone. That is, until she met a traveling musician named Greg Universe.

It happened so fast for both of them. On a whim, Rose decided to drop in during one of his concerts. As it turned out, she was the only attendee. Rose had met many extraordinary men in her life. Galileo, Washington, Beethoven, even Franklin D. Roosevelt; none of them made her feel the way Greg did. When they were together, Rose felt the warmth she once had return to her. He always knew how to make her laugh. For the first time in years, Rose was truly happy. For the first time in her life, she felt completed.

Greg didn't understand what Rose could possibly see in someone like him. He was fat, short, and balding. But could never deny the love that he felt for her. Greg had never been the same since returning from Vietnam. But with Rose, everything felt right again. She was an angel and he would give everything to be with her. For four years, the two would meet in secret. Rose did not want the gems to know about her and Greg's relationship. She felt that they would either not understand or not approve. One night,within the heat of loving passion, Rose and Greg eloped, and in doing so, changed the world forever.

When she finally told the crystal gems about her and Greg's secret relationship, the gems were all stricken with a torrent of emotions. They were happy that Rose was finally happy again. They were upset that she had kept it a secret. Above all, they were afraid of what might happen to her. No other gem had ever eloped with a human before. Everything seemed to going back to the way thing were before. They would go on missions together. They would have fun together. Rose seemed to be back to her old self, smiling and laughing like she used to. But the good times were not to last. Rose began to feel very ill. Her natural glow was fading, her powers started to fail, and her gem was becoming dull. Rose was pregnant. Then on September 10, 2001, Rose went into labor.

The sky was dark as a storm slammed the city. Within the safety of the temple, Rose was fighting just to stay alive. She wanted to live long enough to make sure that her baby drew it's first breath. Greg held her hand and gave her loving words of support while Pearl aided with the birthing. Garnet and Amethyst did whatever they could to help, running back and forth with water and towels. Rose's gem flashed with each contraction, each coming quicker and stronger. Rose was growing weaker and weaker by the minute.

"Greg...my love?" she panted weakly, reaching for his hand. His heart breaking and eyes swelling with tears, Greg held her hand tightly.

"I'm here," he said in a soft voice. "I'll always be here."

Rose smiled and looked to Garnet.

"Take care of the gems," she stated in between breaths.

Her lips quivering, Garnet bowed her head.

"I will not fail you, Rose."

Suddenly, another contraction struck Rose. She screamed in pain, the baby was almost ready.

"Pearl, Amethyst!" she cried out.

Pearl rushed to her side along with Amethyst.

"We're here for you!" Pearl exclaimed, her heart racing.

"Yeah, we aren't going anywhere!" Amethyst said firmly.

"Both of you...watch over my child for me," Rose panted, her vision fading. "Raise my child as if it were your own. Teach it it's gem heritage."

"W-we will Rose, we-" Pearl burst into tears, overwhelmed with everything that was happening. Amethyst embraced Pearl and comforted her, tears flowing from her eyes as well.

"Y-yeah, we'll take care of the little scamp for ya," she said with a quiver in her voice.

Rose smiled softly. She felt blessed to have had such wonderful friends. She was going to miss them dearly. She prayed for their safety and for the safety of her child. Her gem started flicker rapidly as her heart started flatlining. With her last breath, Rose's gem flashed with an intense bright light. Everyone had to shut their eyes, it was like staring into the sun. The light could be seen from outside the temple by those who came to witness the birth.
When the light had faded, Rose was gone, and in her place was a crying baby boy.

"Rose...?" Greg rasped, his heart in pieces.

Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl were struck silent. Their loved leader was dead. Pearl began to sob uncontrollably. Amethyst tried her best to hold her tears back, but soon found herself clinging to Pearl with tears flowing.

"She is...gone," Garnet rasped, trying to not sound as destroyed as she really was. "Rose gave up her existence to give her child life..."

Pearl tenderly picked the child up, cleaned him, then handed him over to his father. Greg held his child closely, tears steadily running down his face.
The baby gave little laugh and reached for Greg's nose.

"H-hey there little guy," Greg crooned softly. "Welcome to Earth."

The gems gathered around him to see the baby. Pearl smiled and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"He has his mother's gem," she whispered happily, pointing to the gem on his belly. The baby yawned loudly which made everyone coo with amusement.

"Awww, he takes after his dad," Amethyst chuckled.

"What is his name, Greg?" Garnet asked the long silent father. Greg smiled and pressed the child's forehead gently against his.

"Steven, Steven Quartz Universe."

Nobody slept that night. The gems had just lost the one thing that had held them together for hundreds of years.
Their future was now more uncertain than ever before. Despite all of the new challenges that they now had to face without Rose, the crystal gems now had one ultimate task that they could not allow themselves to fail. They had to raise, educate, and protected Steven; the first human crystal gem.
Unfortunately, the Rose's death and Steven's birth would go largely unnoticed. For another tragedy was about to change the world that Steven would live in forever.