Disclaimer: Characters, settings, names from the cartoon television show 'Steven Universe' are creations and property of Rebecca sugar and Cartoon network. Any Non-steven universe characters, settings, names, Gems, Gem powers, beliefs, mythology are my own creation.

Author's Note: With Steven having made contact with the essence of his mother inside of his gem, Steven takes this opportunity to ask her everything and anything he wants. But will he receive more than he bargained for? And over at 'It's a Wash' Greg gets an unexpected visitor from his past.

Story Tags: Steven Universe, Connie Maheswaran, OC's, Lapis Lazuli, Pearl, Amethyst, Garnet, Beach City, Gem Powers, Romance, Adventure, Comfort, Destiny.

Music Inspiration for Chapter: "Baby Love" by: Diana Ross and The Supremes

Chapter 13: Talking to Mom

Saturday

May 9, 2016, 2:50 [Afternoon]

Maheswaran Residence, Inside Steven's Consciousness

"Are you alive or...Dead..." Steven asked his mother, he pulled away from her. But when he did, Rose stepped forward once.

Rose leaned down to grab and pick Steven up, but he stepped back, backing away from her. His tears falling down from his eyes, he wiped away with his forearm. Rose straightened back up, clasped her hands and rested them at her navel. She looked at her son with a saddened expression on her face, Steven unknowingly hurt her feelings when he backed away from her.

"Steven..." Rose spoke his name.

"Why mom...why." he said to her.

"Why what son?"

"Why didn't you look for Lapis when Ruby and Sapphire put her away in that old mirror. Why weren't you around for me and Dad, and what exactly was Samson talking about me not being able to match your power. What's up with Lion!"

Steven's voice echoed through the cathedral. The decorated windows had images of Rose, Rose and Lion. Greg and Rose and of Rose and Steven. Steven shuddered when he realized that he had just yelled at his mother. More tears formed under his eyes and fell down his cheeks, he turned around to escape his shame. But the cathedral doors were gone. Vanished, like they never existed. He turned back around and saw that his mother had moved even closer to him.

This time she opened her arms to him, Steven shivered and cried. He ran into his mother's arms, where she lifted him up and held him close to her. Steven sobbed, whimpered and wrapped his arms around his mother's head, bringing it close to his own. His fingers and hands brushed through pink hair and ringlets that hanged down her shoulders.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be there for both of my boys. Please forgive me Steven, but I was never separated from you. Not for a moment. Now, let me put you down before you lose this link to our gemstone."

Steven wiped his tears away and sat down on the floor, crossing his legs. Rose sat down before her son, and placed her hands on her laps. She looked up at the roof of her cathedral and placed her finger on the bottom of her chin. She had stars in her eyes, then she started to speak.

"About Lapis Lazuli, I know she already told about how she came to earth. Your mother and her friends fought a real death battle against that water gem. Had Commander Smoky not fallen on his trip to earth, he would have turned the oceans into sand and stopped Lapis before she could truly threaten the world. But everything that she had said was true, I never knew Ruby and Sapphire were the ones responsible for her disappearance. I was very disappointed in Garnet for keeping such a secret from me.

As for why I wasn't around, if you remember what I told you when you saw that video I left for you. I told you that we could not exist in the same place and time. We gems...we are not boys or girls like the species on earth. I had to create a...special place inside of me to receive your father's love. From their, using all of my magic I started the process of turning your father's gift and half of my self, to become human. Thus you were born. You are half of me and Greg. A gem, whether worker, soldier or commander needs his light and dark side to be able to project themselves as having bodies. Like me, your mother.

Since your are my one half of two parts, you must have been wondering where my other half is. Can you guess where it is Steven."

Steven loved a story time, but needed to take this moment to think about his mother's question to him. He had to admit, he didn't truly understand what she was talking about when she revealed how he was made. Perhaps a different answer from her for a different time would be needed. Steven wondered and couldn't think of anything, that is until it lit up like a light bulb.

"Lion..." Steven said, shocked.

"Lion was a pet that I had back in home-world. I raised him since he was a cub. He is, by now as you know, not a normal earth lion. He is a special kind of creature from home world. He is a being of pure magic, he is not hindered by distance or miles. He needed only to roar to get from point A to point B. and from point B to point C. I used him to store my arms and armor, as a place of refuge and for something else. The Government of America helped me get him to Earth with a portal they built. Lion's can't skip light years I'm afraid.

You see Steven, Lion holds half of our Gem's full power. When you master the half I gave to make you, you will have two choices to make Steven."

"What choices mom."

"You can either take my other half from Lion and truly make my power yours, and Lion will disappear forever. or you can keep it inside of lion and unlock a separate dimension inside of him. What's inside of that Dimension, will be made clear to you if you decide on that path my son. The link between us is becoming weaker Steven, this is goodbye for now."

"Wait mom! What about fusion, did you see me and Connie fuse."

"Yes Steven, I was very surprised and saddened. Surprised because I learned there are benefits to gems who have children with human beings. That half human-gems are capable of experiencing fusion. But I was saddened because, a long time ago your father wanted to fuse with me, but he was only human. Steven, your fading away Steven! Remember everything I told you."

Rose waved goodbye to her son as he started to fade out of the deep recess of his Consciousness.

It's a Wash, Beach City

3:20 [Afternoon]

Seated outside on the driveway of his business establishment, Greg Universe was sitting on a lawn chair. He wore aviator sunglasses on his face, there was an empty plate next to him on the ground. It had crumbs belonging to an earlier sandwich he had for lunch. His hands were clasped and resting on the top of his stomach, which rose up and descended back down in sync with his breathing. He was sleeping, and dreaming.

His dream revolved around the time Rose and Pearl were dancing and fused into Rainbow Quartz. The first time he saw that event, two gems fusing into one. He knew that he wanted to be able to do that with Rose, but when Pearl told him that he would never be able to fuse with Rose; that really got to him.

His dream changed to where he was dancing with Rose in the middle of space. Among the stars, the galaxies in the far off distance. Greg dreamed of himself as an adult, who still had a head full of hair and had on the same clothing he had on when he was a teenager. He kept one arm around Rose's back, and the other hand locked with Rose's. He spun her around, and she spun him around. Each time they took a step, they created another star. Each time Rose laughed, several stars clustered together to form a new galaxy.

Each time Greg laughed, stars exploded all around them. The far off supernovas, with all of their brilliance and radiance even magnificence, gave both Rose and Greg the impressions of having halos around their heads. Greg and Rose paused on their dancing to look at one another, Rose blushed and looked off to the side. Greg laughed and took a moment to look at Rose. His hand which was locked with Rose's, pulled out and cupped Rose's face. Rose looked at Greg, smiling at him. She went in to kiss him, but Greg bent Rose back enough to take up the 'dominant pose.' like when she was alive, she was unable to fuse with him.

Not even in dreams, the one place where dreams themselves are suppose to come true for millions of people. His dream did not come true, he couldn't fuse with Rose. She just kept looking at him, before laughing at him.

"Rose!" Greg said at the top of his lungs.

Rose stopped laughing at him, and only stared at him. Her joy and moment of happiness left, only to be replaced by sadness and hurt. Before Greg could apologize to her, a star from above, one which hadn't turned into a supernova; descended down. It was violet blue in color. The star turned into a square gem, manifested a body of light. The gem was located on the back of this feminine body of light's head. It got between Rose and Greg and pushed Rose off to the side. It took a hold of Greg's hands and started to dance with him.

Greg enjoyed dancing with this gem, whoever she was. But when he saw Rose sitting on the floor, he wanted to help her, yet strangely enough, didn't. Greg spun this other gem around and tilted her back some. Then, it started to happen. This gem started to fuse with Greg, his hear started to beat faster. His pupils dilated, he felt amazing. This gem fused with him, not in the sense of making them into a unique being. No, but covered him in violet blue armor reminiscent of Samurai armor. It had a glow to it, and it was reflective, reflecting the stars and galaxies of the universe all around him.

He pulled out his Katana from it's dark blue sheath. The handle was dark blue, but the blade itself was crafted from starlight. Greg felt powerful, he felt empowered to do something he felt he was robbed of long ago. Bending his legs, Greg swung his Katana in a side arc motion. His blade sent an energy wave that flew off into the darkness of space. exploding with the power of a detonating star. His human spirt was empowered, his senses were heightened.

"greg!...greg!...please unfuse from her right now." Rose asked him, sounding saddened and hurt.

"Why rose. This isn't real. If i couldn't fuse with you while you were still alive, and if I can't fuse with you in my dreams then what's the harm of fusing with some made up gem? Besides look at this armor, and this sword and...do you hear that rose?"

"Greg...Greg...Greg!" he heard a voice from the darkness of space calling him.

Snapping out of his dream, Greg awoke and nearly fell backward on his chair. He touched the top of his head, saddened that his baldspot was still there. Reality had set in. He looked in front of him and saw a woman wearing a one piece yellow bikini, she had a towel wrapped around her waist. She was standing next to a dark blue jeep. She was a curvaceous woman with peach colored skin, red feathered layered hair, like Farrah fawcett.

"Whoa...h- hey, can I help you miss."

"Yes you can Greg."

"Greg? That's my name, How do you know my name." Greg asked her.

"Don't you remember me? High school, Community College, 1982."

"High school...Community College...i dropped out of College to become a rockstar."

"Oh, and how has that worked out for you. It's me, Sasha Green."

Greg squinted his eyes first, then rubbed them with the sides of his hands. He opened his eyes wide, the sight of this beautiful forty year old woman was starting to set in. then, it hit Greg. He stood up out of his chair and walked over to Sasha. The red headed woman brushed some of her hair behind her right ear, smiling at Greg.

"Oh my goodness, Sasha. W-wow...when did you get, when did you become so..."

"Skinny? Tall?" Sasha asked, clearly leading to the obvious.

"So Hot!" Greg shouted. Greg's cheeks blushed as did Sasha's.

"I'm sorry Sasha, that came out by accident. Now that i'm taking the moment to remember, I remember you as a science geek. Always talking about the solar system, astronomy and carrying a hamster in a little plastic traveling home."

"Yeah, that was Oskar, my pet hamster. You're also forgetting that I always kept my hair in pigtails, wore long gray skirts and always kept having to push the bridge of my glasses back up."

"Oh yeah...that was so long ago. But now, now you're a bombshell. I take it this is your Jeep Sasha? Need me to wash it for you."

"Yeah."

"Great, just get in and drive it inside of the car wash tunnel." Greg pointed over to his car wash, but Sasha walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. She leaned her face in and placed a kiss on Greg's cheek. Greg blushed and placed his hand on his cheek.

"It was great seeing you Greg, glad to know that some people of my past haven't changed." as Sasha was getting into her car, Greg grabbed her wrist and stopped her.

"Hey Sasha, look. I don't want you to take this the wrong way but. I don't really see anyone from my past anymore, but since you're here...would you like to-"

"I'm here on vacation for the rest of the summer, I guess we can go for some coffee and catch up. Is that cool with you?"

"Cool like flock of Penguins."

"Penguins don't get together in Flocks Greg, their flightless birds. They congregate in mobs."

"Right...constipate...wait what?" Sasha giggled at Greg and stepped back into her jeep.

Crystal Temple, Beach City

4:00 [Evening]

Flying back into Beach City all the way from Palmyra, Steven and Lapis returned back home. Amethyst was sitting down on the sandy beach, snacking on chips with dip. She spotted Steven soaring over through the sky with Lapis's arms around his waist. Steven waved at Amethyst below her, Amethyst waved back at him and continued eating her bag of chips. Landing at the entrance of the Crystal Temple, Steven and Lapis were back on solid ground. Garnet was waiting inside of the beach house, sitting on the couch.

"Hey Garnet, what you up to." Steven asked, running up to his bedroom area. He stopped at the foot of the stairs that lead up to Lapis's home, the one he had made for her.

"Not up to much. Where did you two go." Garnet asked him.

"I went to go see Connie, Lapis took me flying."

"And what did you and Connie talk about." Garnet asked.

"Ah, I see. You're future vision probably showed you already, right. I was learing how to talk to my mother."

"And did you?" Garnet pressed further.

"Yes Garnet, I did. I spoke to my Mother." Garnet shuddered slightly at that statement. She uncrossed her arms and stood up. Lapis jumped up to Steven's bedroom area and followed Steven up to her home.

Back downstairs, Garnet pushed her glasses up over her eyes with her left hand, to wipe away tears that were streaming down both her eyes. "Rose, we're sorry for not telling you about what we did to Lapis." she whispered quietly to herself.

Upstairs in Lapis's home, Steven took a hold of Lapis's hands and spun her around laughing. Lapis went with along with this and didn't question why he suddenly felt the need to laugh and dance.

"This is so Cool! I got to talk to my mom, learn about Lion. I told her about my fusion with Connie and i learned that dad tried to fuse with mom too."

"Steven this is...amazing...i feel so happy for you...whoa, You! Ahahahahaha...Steven Wait!" Lapis was laughing so much with Steven that she didn't see where she was stepping and then.

Then Steven caught her before she fell backwards. His hands rested behind her back, both of them. Steven tilted her back some instinctively. Lapis smiled up at him and leaned in to press a kiss on his lips. Steven's pink aura flared up in response to his shock. It surrounded both him and Lapis, it rose higher and higher, filling the house. It swirled around them both, taking them outside of Lapis's home through her window. They landed down on the sandy beach where Steven's pink flaming aura started to stabilize and grew into a 100 foot tall pink being! It had a transparent masculine ethereal body, a body that was being armed with Dark blue armor platings on it's shins, thighs, feet, torso, back, arms, forearms, hands and shoulders. A sky blue robe/ cape formed on this being's backplate.

A Helmet with an opening around the eyes and mouth formed around it's head. Steven's shield appeared on this being's Left forearm, it was a mix of blue and pink, a purple shield. In it's right hand, or rather, it's entire right arm was made entirely out of Ice. Steven hovered inside of the naval section of this being. While Lapis hovered inside the back of the neck of this being.

Pearl came running out of the beach house with Garnet. They joined Amethyst who was already looking up at this gigantic fusion.

"Good Heavens! Is that Steven and Lapis. They look like a Roman Centurion." Pearl said, pointing out it's similarity to an ancient warrior class.

"No way, Half gems can fuse with full gems? Then that means, Steven can fuse with-"

"Anyone of us..." Garnet chimed in, finishing Amethyst's assumption.

"What should we call them you guys." Amethyst asked Garnet and Pearl.

"Never mind coming up with names, those two need to unfuse right now." Pearl said loudly, like seeing Steven fused with someone other than her, bothered her.

Pearl went over to the two fused friends to yell at them, but Lapis had another idea in mind. "Hey Steven, let's go flying together, you up for it? There are two minds and hearts controlling this body."

"Yeah!" Steven replied excitedly.

Underneath the cape of the fused body, Wings made water that took the shape of bird wings sprouted. They flapped up and down repeatedly and off Steven and Lapis took to the sky.

"Come on you guys, let's follow them." Amethyst suggested,

She changed into a Pelican, and took to the sky to fly alongside Steven and Lapis. Pearl looked over to Garnet who shrugged her shoulders with a smile. She shape-shifted into an eagle and followed Amethyst's lead. Pearl let out a defeated sigh and shape-shifted into a crane and followed her comrades.

Continued in Chapter 14, "Greg in Love."