Love Crime

Shadow turned his head to hide his smile, his cheeks flushing at Jaspers sharp eyes that seemed to do backflips inside her holographic head.

Jasper's voice was soft. "Stop acting like a little female human, Shadow."

Shadow scoffed. "I am not acting like a female," his voice squeaked, not helping his case at all. "This is new to me is all."

The human really was embarrassed, he didn't know how to act to this new affection. The two had walked back in awkward silence, Pearl was still in her gem form, unfortunately, that was probably for the best though. They had contacted Steven and Amethyst to reassure the two. Greg was a bit sad to hear that his favorite car was wrecked but was honestly just happy to see that they were all fine.

He didn't know how to act at this point. Jasper sat down on the couch, her feet propped up on the coffee table all nonchalant, Shadow kicked his legs across the couch and rested his head on her swollen belly. "She preggers my guy," the voice in the back of his head said. That made him smile sadly but he smiled. Shadow didn't know what the future would entail now, this both excited and scared him. This broken shell of a man was going to be a father!

Two hours had passed since they had been home and nobody was back yet. Steven and Amethyst were still searching for Ruby. Sapphire retired to her room with Pearl's gem. Shadow had told her to kick rocks, respectfully, and with no pun intended. The gem pacing around the house was driving both Jasper and his nuts.

Shadow interlocked his fingers with Jaspers and raised her hand to his lips, softly he planted a kiss on her hand. He loved that even though her hands could easily rip his face off with ease, they were so soft. Honestly, he was scared shitless. The longer he laid with Jasper the more he felt a sense of dread weigh his mind down. Even with Erica they never talked about having a child together, then again, their relationship was cut short. Thinking about that didn't help his mental state.

Jasper must have sensed how he was feeling because her other hand ran through his hair. "Are you doing alright? You're unnaturally quiet."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

A chuckle made her stomach rumble making his head rock like a ship at sea. "You are in yours, as Amethyst would say, 'in your feels'." The lame joke made her laugh all the more.

Shadow didn't think it was so funny. Probably because she was right, but he wouldn't admit it. "I'm just thinking about what comes next. Nothing is certain now."

Jasper sighed. "If you are so worried about it, I can always ask Sapphire."

"No!" Shadow shouted, he sat up and grinned at her. "I'd rather not have that kind of headache right now." Though he wouldn't mind having a little futuristic guidance at the moment. Imagining what the little gem might say made his headache anyway. Shadow laid his head back into Jasper's lap, she continued to pet his head. For now, he wanted nothing better to do but just be here in this moment. Let the past stay where it was and the future stays a day ahead of them.

Whatever future problems that may arise can wait till tomorrow.

He woke up later that night. Falling off the couch gripping his head. "No no please!" The remnants of his dreams still burned an image in his brain that he was trying to convince himself was all just a nightmare.

A hand grabbed him from the dark just to force him to settle down. "Shadow please, it was just a dream. Please look at me." Pearl grabbed his hands and pulled him towards her. One hand holding his and the other embracing him in a hug. "Shadow, please! You don't have to scream anymore." Shadow didn't understand what she was talking about till she realized that he had his hands over his ears and his throat felt raw. Was I screaming? He thought to himself, the pain in his throat obvious. Finally, he managed to get himself back to reality but he could still see images of Jasper in his mind. "W-where Jasper?" Shadow realized the sun was just beginning to set, he must have fallen asleep.

Pearl let him go much to her own disappointment. A disappointment she hid in her voice. "Jasper went out with Sapphire to get some groceries for when Ruby returns." Pearl sounded worried. "Honestly they have been gone for quite some time. Long enough for you to fall asleep."

Shadow sighed, he wiped the sweat from his forehead. "That's Jasper for you to whatever-"

"Shadow is Jasper pregnant?" Pearl interrupted him with a direct tone she had never taken with him before. The shock of the sudden question stunned him but he slowly regained his wits.

Shadow pulled himself onto the couch as did Pearl next to him. Her eyes were daggers that seemed to try and pry at his thoughts. Honestly for the first time since being around Pearl he, for some reason, felt ashamed. So he simply said, "yes. Jasper is pregnant."

Pearl went to put a hand to her mouth but suddenly held back. Behind her eyes, though he could see something that he couldn't make out. Disappointment, worry, fear? Those eyes made him more anxious than he thought he had ever felt before. Pearl's silence made him feel sick.

Shadow rubbed a hand over his head, another sigh escaped him. Pearl stood up suddenly and started to head for her room in quick haste that he quite did not understand. Shadow grabbed Pearl's wrist without thinking and the gem spun around. The sting of her hand across his face shook Shadow. He slowly turned to look Pearl in the eyes, hers were filled with barely kept back tears.

The sting on his cheek left an ache in his heart. "Pearl please… talk to me, you are my friend, and if I hurt you…" Shadow paused to take a breath he didn't know he was holding. The look in Pearl's eyes was taking away his resilience, he wanted nothing to do but apologize for whatever he had done wrong. "Pearl please talk to me." Shadow didn't even realize he had gotten to a knee and held Pearl's hand. To keep her from running or to keep her from leaving him alone he could not tell.

Pearl raised her hand to strike him but Shadow was ready to take her aggression for his friend. The gem never struck him though, instead, she dropped to her knees. Her arms wrapping around Shadow in a strong vice that he dared not try to escape. Pearl dropped her head into the crook of his neck. Her words coming unclear from the choking of tears that finally spilled over.

"Shadow do you know what this means?" Pearl put a hand to his chest.

Shadow felt his heart drop in his chest. "Pearl, please. Tell me what you know. Help me understand your anger."

Pearl beat a hand against his chest. "Shadow she is a gem. The gem cannot get pregnant. We are made from artificial light that we project. This means that Jasper chose to create organs that could sustain a newly developed life for-" Pearl put a hand to her mouth, tears streaming down her face. "Jasper chose to have YOUR baby!"

Still, he was confused. "I don't understand. I understand that gems are projections of light but why is it such a big deal that she is pregnant. Then, it all came together. Why Shadow had never seen Stevens's mom, the reason for Pearl's anger; and why the crystal gems were raising Steven by themselves in the first place. It was as if the air was knocked from his lungs. Shadow fell on his knees with the sudden realization of what this had meant. Jasper was giving up her life to have their baby. Jasper was going to die just to give birth!


A/N: Hey hey! I apologize for the long wait, I've been busy since October of last year. I recently joined the Army and am now finding myself a slave to the government again so that means chapters are going to be slow and inconsistent. I apologize for not wrapping up the story yet and I plan to, it'll just take some time.