Lapis allowed herself a grin- turn away, don't let him see your teeth- as Steven ran ahead of her, making footprints in the sand. It had been a few days since their fight, and Lapis wanted to lighten the mood in the house. Already harboring a certain... affection for Steven, she wanted to make up for her crass behavior. Maybe she could stand to learn a thing or two. Even from humans. But her plan was subverted by Mr. Universe. What better place for a Mer to take her… friend than to the beach?

"Yeah, you pretty much have free reign. Just watch Steven like a hawk, stay outta trouble, and don't spend all your money in one place. Oh, and, ah, just to be safe, keep away from that part of the beach." At this, he gestured grandly to the left half of the sandy dunes, and Lapis had nodded with a confused smile. Of course, the second she had asked him what he wanted to do the next day, Steven begged her to take him over there.

"My favorite bucket for building castles is over there, Lapis!" he had said, pulling on her arm.

"How can you build a whole castle with just a bucket?" she had replied, then felt stupid for asking. Sandcastles. She had also glanced through Steven's repertoire of sand skills, pretty impressed with not only his aptitude for architecture, but his memory retention. He could recall his first, all the way up to his plans for that day's. And so, she had relented, unable to resist the thought of making him happy. Something twisted in her gut at that, and she had to wonder if the changes he was making in her were good after all.

"Lapis, do you want to help? I know you don't have a bathing suit, but you don't have to stay under the umbrella!" Lapis looked up from her fingers as she twisted and twined them together, to her charge. He was on his knees, out of the tide's reach, with a pink bucket, a few shovels, and a mass of seashells surrounding him. Lapis rose with a grunt. She ambled over the sand, watching him work for a minute.

"Sure thing. What's the plan?" she asked, kneeling down beside him. He shot a smile her way, passing her a long, thin tool. He explained the finite art of chiseling turrets, and left her to it. They worked together in companionable silence, so much nicer now that they were on better terms. Lapis never would have guessed she would be willing to give up her time for someone as… small as Steven Universe, but here she was. She never would have done this for anyone back home. Her hands stopped, almost of their own accord, as she turned to the ocean.

She wondered if Garnet was still looking for Rose, or was she busy looking for her, now? A lump rose in Lapis's throat when she thought of that. Her Queen was suffering, and she was hiding like a child, interfering with the mission. Selfish, her new human vocabulary supplied, and she felt sick. And what about Pearl? She must be lonely, no one ever spent time with her unless she was needed. And Jasper, even. Peridot, her guardians. Were they worried for her? Hands on her own startled her, and she jumped a bit.

"Are you okay, Lapis? You look… lost." Steven asked softly, and Lapis sighed heavily. But she did not speak, because her throat felt tight, and she was afraid her words would break it. Her face must have given her away, though, because Steven sidled up to her, and wrapped his small arms around her torso. She laughed a little, and leaned on him. What was this? This closeness? Was this a human experience, a feeling she just stole from Steven, or was it genuine? She was dismayed that she didn't know the answer.

"Lapis Lazuli?" An incredulous, familiar voice had her wishing that she had listened to Mr. Universe. She looked up from where she had laid her chin, on Steven's curly hair, to see Pearl. This had to be a dream. She wore an outfit similar to that of a human ballerina that suited her lithe frame, and her hair swept up, like it dried that way. Pearl ran at them, and Lapis's instincts flared. She instantly repositioned Steven behind her, rolling him out of the way, arm thrown in front of him. He looked up at Pearl as she skidded to a stop in front of them. Her eyes narrowed at the human, and she scoffed.

"Out of all the things I'd expected to find up here. Have you retained nothing of what I've taught you? Humans are cheap, short-lived, and meaningless. They have no business with us." Lapis held back a snarl, and pressed closer to Steven. He made a small noise of confusion behind her, and Lapis wanted to reassure him, but she'd be found out soon, dragged back to the Monolith, and kept there. Away from him, forever.

"That's not very nice of you." Steven said heatedly, and Pearl looked taken aback. "Nothing is meaningless! Everything, no matter how small it is, has a reason to be there."

He stood behind her, and Lapis shot up with him, still barring him from Pearl. But she couldn't stop him fully. The damage had been done, and now Pearl was going to hurt him, and report Lapis back to Garnet, and-

"Why do you say that?" Pearl sounded uneasy, and she visibly leaned back. Lapis relaxed a bit, tuning an ear to Steven. But she kept an eye on Pearl as well.

"That's just the way it is sometimes. If small things didn't matter, there wouldn't be anything nice. Like my seashells." At this, he stopped and scooped up his smallest one, spiky and cone-shaped. "If this didn't exist, a crab might be out of a home! Or my castle could go undecorated. Or maybe someone couldn't keep it, like treasure. No matter what it is, how short-lived, or common, it means a lot to somebody, and that's what makes it important."

Pearl shuddered. Lapis was in wonder of his matter-of-fact wisdom. How could a child possibly love so much? Pearl brought a hand to her chest, and Lapis saw her mouth one word that turned her whole perspective on its head. Rose. No. Oh, no.

"Hey, what's going on- Pearl?" They all turned, and Greg Universe promptly tripped, skinning his knees on the sand. Steven immediately rushed so him, calling for his father.

"Are you-"

'No, Steven. You disobeyed me. I expect better from you." he said, sitting up with a wince. Steven's face fell, and Lapis started towards the pair, completing ignoring Pearl.

"It was my fault! Please don't be angry with Steven." she tried, and Greg looked at her. Really looked at her. He recognized Pearl. A shock ran through her when she realized he must've figured out who she was. Or at least, what she was.

"Greg Universe! What are you doing with our princess!?" Pearl cried, and Lapis turned swiftly as she heard the Mer summon her weapon.

"No, Pearl, I ran. They haven't kidnapped me. Please, leave them alone."

"Th-they know too much." Pearl's words were tinged with a bit of desperation. She turned back to the humans. "And what have you done with her?"

"I don't know who-"

"Of course you know-"

"Please, just listen-"

"Stop fighting!" Steven's shout shut them all up, filled with such power that even Lapis was tempted to buckle under it. "Dad, you're hurt. I don't know what's going on, or who kidnapped who, but I do know that fighting never solves anything."

He glanced at Pearl, then to Lapis. He was scared, she could see it in his eyes. But he put on such a brave face. Then, he focused on his dad's knees, which were steadily streaming crimson rivulets of blood. In the chaos, Greg must not have felt it. But the color drained from his face when he saw all the red, and Steven tilted his head. He held his hands out, over the ripped skin, and Lapis watched with horrified wonder as his fingers lit with familiar, yet strange, pink magic. Pearl let out a sob out as the skin mended itself, and Greg gasped. Steven stood, and swiped at his eyes tiredly, as if drained.

"Now, we all have some serious explaining to do, I think. I'll go first. I'm Steven Quartz Universe. And I'm Rose's son."