Author's note: Many thanks to The Anti-Horcrux! I'm very grateful for your help and I hope you continue to like the story! Also, thanks to everyone for the support. I'll try my best to make this great (or at the very least decent :P )! By the way, this chapter is mostly fluff and is more just to satisfy the need for happiness in Lapis' life than anything else. We have to give Lapis a break sometimes before we ruin her life more…just kidding. Oh and don't worry, we'll have something actually happen next chapter.


Waking Up

Steven woke up slowly, warmth around his body. "Mm, what happened?" He asked himself, his eyes fluttering open. Steven looked around sleepily, still not fully awake. He found himself in a rather flat, grassy area, a few trees scattered about and the silhouettes of mountains visible in the distance. A few feet from him was a small river. His eyes widened as completely awoke, the memories of the passed three days flying through his head. The battle with Malachite, his father lying to him, Steven trapping himself in the bubble, all came back to him at once.

Steven tried to move forward, only to find his body restrained. "Huh?" He looked down, two blue arms wrapped around his torso. Steven heard soft breathing behind him, the air brushing past the back of his neck. It was steady, slow, calm. Steven gave a slight jolt as he felt something gently rest against the back of his head.

Steven turned his head back, finding Lapis to be the one who had made the contact, the blue gem having drifted to sleep. "Lapis…"

Steven quickly became overjoyed at the sight of his friend, the water gem finally free again. He had succeeded in keeping the Gems from getting to her. He would've turned around and hugged her, had he actually been able to move with Lapis' arms tightly around him. So, he settled with waiting for her to awake from her well-deserved rest.

Steven let out a small yelp as Lapis' hold on him quickly tightened, the water gem giving a small groan in her sleep as she pulled him close, a smile spreading across her face. Steven felt Lapis lighten up a bit, still holding him tightly, but allowing him enough room to breath comfortably. He couldn't help but find some comfort in it, her breath tickling him as it brushed past the small hairs on the back of his neck, her soft inhaling and exhaling the only sound he could other than the river that laid a few feet away.

At the thought of the body of water sitting before him, Steven felt his throat go dry and a powerful thirst came over him. Acting on his first impulse, Steven began to move forward again he could satisfy the feeling, only for Lapis to pull him back to her and hold him even tighter. Steven gave a frustrated groan. As much as he liked being able to interact with his friend, sleeping Lapis was not the most cooperative Lapis.

Steven looked back at Lapis again, the water gem still fast asleep. He gave up on trying to get out of her embrace, too weak to really put up an effort after his three days in the bubble. Instead, he decided to think about things.

He began thinking back to the Gems and his dad. They were probably worried about him while he was in the bubble. He also had probably hurt their feelings by not coming out when they had asked him to. He was out now though, so they knew he was okay.

Steven immediately took notice of something important. He wasn't even at home. This place was entirely new to him. Why am I... Steven looked back at Lapis. Could she have been... Steven didn't know for sure and he surely wasn't going to get answers right now.

Steven smiled. She could answer his questions when she woke up. He was sure there was a logical explanation for her taking him here. After all...

She was a good gem.


"Steven!" Lapis sang happily, cupping her hands and yelling into the distance, her voice echoing back to her. "Come out, come out wherever you are!" She looked around the endless field of wheat after her call. Nothing.

She heard some rustling behind her, a smile stretching over her face. "Found you!" She put arms against the plants, parting them quickly. Her smile became a look of confusion. "Huh…" Steven wasn't there.

Lapis stood up, putting her hands on her hips. "I guess you're better at this than I thought." Lapis said. "But I'll find you sooner or later bud." She sang.

Lapis spread out her water wings and took to the skies, searching the field for her elusive friend. As she continued, she began to notice the sky turning dark. Heheh, good luck trying to hide now. Lapis thought cockily, confident she was going to win the game with the aid of the rain. The feeling didn't last long, Lapis realizing that the sky wasn't darkening because of clouds, but was instead actually turning black.

"What?..." Lapis looked down to the ground, gasping as it slowly became to an all too familiar seafoam green. "N- No..." Lapis said, shaking her head. "This can't be happening! Steven was just playing with me! All of that couldn't have just been fake! It couldn't!" Lapis took off as fast as she could, almost as if she thought she could outrun the changing sky and ground. "Steven!" She called out as loud as she could. "Steve-"

A chain of water shot out of the ground, grabbing Lapis by the wrist. It didn't matter how much Lapis tried to resist, the chain pulled her down with little to no effort. She couldn't fight back as she was dragged under the ground, the darkness she thought she had finally escaped surrounding her.


Lapis gasped as she woke up, sweat on her forehead. She calmed down her breathing, feeling Steven against her chest. It's just a dream Lapis... Just a dream. Lapis sighed with a smile, resting her head in Steven's hair.

She was okay. He was here with her, safe in her arms. Everything was perfect.

Lapis felt Steven shift underneath her, the water gem lifting her head in response. Was he perhaps... "S-...Steven?"

Steven turned his head back. "Lapis?"

The two stared at each other for a moment, each speechless. Steven opened his mouth to speak, only for Lapis to pull him back into a tight hug.

"Steven! Thank the stars you're okay!" Lapis cried, pressing her cheek against Steven's. "I- I almost thought I lost you again! I- I-...I'm glad you didn't..." Lapis hugged him tighter and laughed. "It doesn't matter! You're okay now, that's all that matters! My beach-summer-fun-buddy's back with me!"


Come on Pearl, this isn't the time to be your slow self! Amethyst thought, pacing back and forth in front of the gem as she found herself growing angrier and angrier at the world around her.

When she and Garnet had gotten back to the house, or what was left of it, Garnet had put Amethyst in charge of keeping Pearl's gem safe while she was regenerating. Amethyst had been very opposed to it, wanting to help search for Steven as soon as she could. Her opinion did nothing to sway Garnet's decision, further frustrating her.

Amethyst looked over at Pearl's gem frequently, becoming more impatient with each second that passed. Almost as often as she looked over at Pearl's gem, she found herself looking over at the warp pad. It wasn't that she expected Garnet to be coming back anytime soon, the fusion only knowing where Lapis may have gone, but that she was contemplating on going herself.

Garnet's future vision, while accurate in most instances, was severely flawed when it didn't show Garnet a specific future. Garnet had said that there would be a better chance of finding Lapis if Amethyst waited for Pearl to regenerate and then go searching for him once she had help, but Amethyst knew better. She could tell by Garnet's tone alone when she left, the fusion's voice shaky and uncertain behind a confident, stoic facade.

Amethyst found that even more infuriating. Not only did Garnet go out searching for Steven without the foggiest idea where he could be and make her stay behind to babysit Pearl, but she tried to hide it. Garnet had tried to make Amethyst think that she still knew what could and would happen, that she knew that they were going to get Steven back and how. It just made Amethyst want to-

Amethyst punched through one of the remaining walls of Steven's house, it falling on impact. Amethyst stood in front of it, huffing angrily. In all honesty, the outburst made her feel better, but it did nothing to cool the fire burning within her. Just three days ago, her life was perfect. Then, with one event, a single gem had come and ruined it all.

Amethyst screamed angrily, grabbing her hair and pulling it. She couldn't even tell if this was because she was actually angry or if it was just her programming kicking in. And even that made her angrier. She felt like she would pull one of Ruby's tricks and begin creating fire around herself from the anger alone.

Amethyst punched through another of the standing walls, the wood splintering. Amethyst stared for awhile before letting out a small, empty chuckle. What would Pearl say? Amethyst asked herself, trying to imagine the pale gem's reaction if she was back.

Amethyst looked back to the warp pad, once again thinking to disobey her leader's orders. Sighing, she turned away, rejecting the idea for the umpteenth time since her shift over Pearl began. As she did, an idea popped into her head.

Amethyst rushed outside and threw some of the broken porch away like they were paper machete, uncovering a large green orb.

Let's get to business. Amethyst picked Peridot's escape pod and leaped over to the warp pad. Finding the wires still attached to the machine, she took the other ends and plugged them into the warp pad.

Nothing happened, Amethyst's spirits dropping.

"I guess it was a long shot." She said.

A small spark of green electricity discharged from the escape pod, Amethyst jumping back a little. The holographic green screen slowly came down, straight lines periodically running across.

"Now we're talking." She said with a smile.


Lapis is one tight hugger. Steven thought.

Steven and Lapis had been ecstatic to see each other after so long, the euphoria felt individually almost overwhelming. Some time after Steven and Lapis had their long awaited reunion, Lapis not quick on letting him go and Steven all too happy to see her happy again, Lapis had gone out to get food for him. Steven had wanted to come with her, shakily trying to follow, but Lapis insisted against it, laying him back against the tree before leaving.

Steven cupped his hands and scooped up some of the river water, drinking it quickly before it could escape through the small space between them. The water touched his throat and he felt a small relief from his thirst, only for it to return, the boy beginning to realize just how bad it was. He got on his hands and knees and lowered his mouth onto the surface of the river, gulping down as much water as he could.

Finally rid of the feeling, Steven fell back onto the grass and stared up at the white clouds above, sighing. "Why am I here?" Steven asked himself, returning to the thoughts that had plagued him when he first woke up in the area. "I mean, I'm glad to see Lapis, but...why did she take me here?" Steven continued. "Maybe she wanted to spend some time with me without the gems?... Yea, that sounds about right..." Steven sighed. As angry as he was with his dad and the Crystal Gems, he felt bad about what he had done. Of course, they must've trusted Lapis a lot if they had let her take him here.

Steven waited a few seconds. "Yea, so that's not it." Steven turned on his side, looking at the river that ran nearby. "So she took me without their permission, I guess? So...why even take me at all?" He gave a troubled expression. No matter how hard he thought, he couldn't come up with anything. Sure he was the only one Lapis seemed to have a good relationship with, but there was no reason for her to take him with her. He guessed she would want to spend time with him because she saw them as friends, which they were. Lapis had made it clear she cared just by sending the message to warn him about Homeworld, Malachite further proof of that truth. Yet, she probably would've come and asked him had it been as simple as spending time with him.

"Steven!" Steven heard Lapis sing as she returned, snapping the boy out of his thoughts. "I brought...red things!"

Steven turned his head and couldn't help but give a small giggle. Lapis' dress was absolutely covered in sticky strawberry juice. Just to make it worse, butterflies were scattered about it as they tried to drink the liquid. Lapis, obviously having grown tired of the first method she tried, decided instead to carry the strawberries in her water wings, the fruit giving a little red to the water.

"Lapis...what happened?" Steven asked, holding back his laughter.

"I...don't...know," Lapis told him, sitting down and letting the strawberries fall gently to the ground. "but there's fruit blood all over me," Lapis gave a frustrated glare to the butterflies around her. "and these savage creatures want to drink it."

Lapis and Steven stared at each other for a few seconds before both burst into laughter.

"Two years and you're still hilarious." Steven said amongst his laughter.

"Thanks!" Lapis told him, her laughter ending after a few moments. She quickly turned her attention to the strawberries lying on the ground, the butterflies still crowded around them. Lapis spread one of her water wings and shooed the bugs away, trying her best to be gentle, lest killing one upset her Steven. She picked up the small pile with the wing and happily offered the fruit to Steven. "Here you go."

Steven didn't hesitate for a second, beginning to swallow them down one by one, careful not to eat the leaves at the ends. His hunger was consuming in that moment, the hybrid almost forgetting about everything around him as he satisfied it.

Had he been paying attention to his surroundings, he may have been slightly unnerved. Lapis watched Steven eat with small smile, her expression one of adoration. After so long, he was back with her, as he was always meant to be.


Lapis watched as Steven was finishiing the last of the strawberries that she had gathered for him, his eating having, much to Lapis' relief, slowed, a sign that his hunger was subsiding.

Steven and Lapis had spent hours competing over who could make the biggest and best sounds. The two had a reunion that Lapis felt was worth every minute she spent as Malachite. Needless to say, she finally got what she had been wishing for, and she didn't want it to stop. Unfortunately…not all good things last forever.

Steven plopped the last strawberry into his mouth, chewing it thoroughly before swallowing. "Those hit the spot. Thanks Lapis."

Lapis tilted her head. "Hit what spot?"

"It's just an expression." Steven said with small wave. "The point is, I feeling better because of you."

"Well I'm glad." Lapis replied, silently searching his form for any source of immediate or potential harm. As she did so, she felt her mind drift to the the most recent cause of harm, the Crystal Gems.

They had done so much that was wrong by her, but hurting Steven was the final straw. He had cared about them so much, even willing to risk what little chance at survival he had on the hand ship to free them. He had even wanted to help her that day, though she had refused out of guilt.

Lapis knew she had taken the cowards way on the ship, something she regretted deeply after it was done. After Jasper and Peridot discovered the secret Lapis had been keeping from them, Peridot had promised her safety and freedom in exchange for the information Lapis had on him. Lapis reluctantly made the deal, telling Peridot everything that he had done.

Every word felt like she was stabbing him in the back. She regretted the choice the moment she made it and, as she waited in her cell for the ship's return to what used to be her home, she just wanted to take it all back…but it was too late. She tried to convince herself that he had a chance if she cooperated, that she wouldn't have any reason to feel guilty in the end. It had broken her spirit to the point that she hadn't even been able to make up for it and help her friend escape.

Steven however, had succeeded without her assistance, though at the time Lapis had thought that the crashing ship meant his certain demise. He had saved them, he cared about them…and when she finally managed to get back, she found out they did this to him.

Lapis didn't really care for their reason, she knew he never deserved what happened, just like she knew she never deserved being a prisoner…or at least she used to feel she hadn't deserved it. Likewise, the incident had only fueled her hatred for her captors...well she guessed she couldn't completely hate them, she had at least one thing she could thank them for...

Lapis felt herself get pulled from her thoughts as she heard Steven calling her name.

"Hey Lapis?" Steven called again, finally getting Lapis' attention.

"Hm?" Lapis responded.

"You okay? You kind of just zoned out there." Steven said.

"I'm fine, just thinking." Lapis assured him with a smile. "Now, what were you saying?"

"I was just…" Steven gave an awkward look, almost as if he was trying to find the right words. "asking you why you took me?"

Lapis' smile fell. "Wh- What do you mean?"

"Well, I understand why you ran away, but I don't know why I'm here." Steven said. "I mean, I'm happy to see you and all, but it just doesn't make a whole lot of sense. The Gems already don't trust you, I can't imagine that taking me is gonna help with that.

Lapis felt beads of sweat forming over her brow. "I ummm." Lapis needed to think of something quick. Lapis knew that, despite what happened to him, Steven would be more than willing to go back to them if she told him the truth. He never knew when he was in the presence of danger, he wouldn't be so apt at being her friend if that weren't true.

"I- I- I-" She couldn't just tell him the real reason, he would leave her if she did. He would go back to them…they could hurt him again. She needed to keep him with her, keep him safe. He wasn't worried about himself enough to listen to her…but maybe…maybe he cared about her enough. Lapis didn't want to, but she knew she had no choice. "I need your help." She lied, speaking a little too quickly.

Steven's expression became one of confusion. "Huh?"

"I...need your help." Lapis repeated, making sure to calm down a little. She turned her eyes from his, not wanting to look into them as she deceived the only one who loved her. "The Crystal Gems are too strong for me to fight alone. If they found me while I was alone, I wouldn't stand a chance. I know I can trust you. You're the only one here who will help me Steven… I-…I won't be able to make it on my own."

Steven's expression fell, the boy looking away for a moment. He hadn't expected that to be her answer, of course he hadn't really known what to expect. Lapis hadn't exactly been the most predictable gem he'd met.

He felt conflicted. He knew that if he came with her, it would mean being away from and going against the Gems. He didn't want to be away from his family for so long. He also knew how badly the Gems had been hurting when he was trapped in his bubble and he could only imagine how much worse it was for them now that they didn't know where he was or if he was safe. At the same time though, he couldn't just leave Lapis. If she was right, then the Gems would capture her and Steven didn't think he would be able to save her again.

Steven gave a troubled expression. He didn't know what the right choice was.

Lapis didn't find any pleasure in his pain. "Just until I find a new planet?" Lapis asked, another lie. She had no intention of giving him back. Perhaps by the time he realized, he would be happy to stay. Leaving the planet, that was a definite goal for her, but leaving Steven wasn't part of it. Steven needed her protection. "Please?"

Steven thought for a moment before looking back to her. He had made his choice. Despite his concerns, Steven knew what he needed to do. No matter what the Gems thought of her, Lapis was still his friend…he trusted her…and he would do everything in his power to help her. With a smile across his face, Steven asked, "Why wouldn't I bud? I'd never leave a friend in need."


Author's note: A little rushed in my opinion, but still adorable. Also, fun fact in the story, Lapis has no personal knowledge of what happened to Steven while she was regenerating except that he was hurt and the Crystal Gems were involved; so she's completely convinced that they personally did that to him, when in fact Steven was the one who did it to himself to protect her. She'll find out later, but first we want her to start understanding humans (and the Crystal Gems to at least the point she doesn't want to murder them). Remember that constructive criticism is appreciated!