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: After Steven and Connie's short relationship came to an end by the authority of Connie's parents. Steven heads back home heartbroken, Lapis steps in to comfort Steven. Carlos and Pearl talk after making love, still in the Gem Battlefield. Greg and Sasha arrive at the moment of their reunion and The male fire gem traveling through space, arrives to Earth.

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: "Click" By: ClariS

Chapter 16: A Star From Heaven

Sunday

May 10, 2016, 2:30 [Afternoon]

Emerald Hills, Beach City, DE

Sitting down on the picnic table cloth with her legs together angled to the side. Sasha Green searched through a picnic basket and pulled out a couple of sandwiches. Greg brought some tuna sandwiches that he made for himself. He put eating food on pause to set up an Umbrella to create some shade. The surrounding trees didn't provide that great of shade, to get some would mean heading deeper into the forests. It was better to stay out where the forest ended and the light of the sun shined and beamed down on a beautiful day.

"Let's see what Greg has brought in his pink and white cooler. Pink and white. Really Greg?"

"It's the only one I had laying around in the inventory room of my gas station. What? Real men have no problems with pink, it's just a color."

"No no, I like a guy whose comfortable with rocking the color Pink. It could have just been a little darker." Sasha said.

Sasha wore khaki shorts with black and white chuck taylors, white socks and a white neck crop top. Greg wore dark green cargo shorts, a black shirt and sandals. He wore a baseball cap in reverse. After setting up the tall umbrella in it's pole shaft. Greg took a seat in his folding chair and caught a can of soda that Sasha handed to him. Greg snapped it open and leaned back on his seat. Everything looked cool and chill, when he noticed that he forgot to bring a radio.

"Oh jeez I forgot to bring the radio. I wanted to listen to some of my favorite cassette tapes"

"Radio Greg? Hahahaha, Man it's not the 80's anymore," Sasha laughed, but it wasn't meant to embarrass Greg.

"Hey, if it isn't broken don't fix it. If it's broken, it isn't worth fixing. I still got some cassette tapes and mix tapes that I refuse to throw away. And how about you Sasha, got anything from those wild years you refuse to throw away."

"I might have one or two things I pushed into the deepest section of my closet that might never see the light of two thousand sixteen. So Greg, I take it you didn't invite me to this picnic to just reminisce about how cool and simple life was back in the 80's."

Greg blushed and placed his can of soda down on the ground beside him, he locked both of his hands together and fiddled around with his fingers. He unlocked his hands and clenched the ends of the arm rests of his chairs. Sasha didn't seem to notice his nervousness, she was to busy sticking a straw into her can to drink from it.

It helped to some degree, but in the back of his head he kind of wished Sasha would look at him. Still, she was basically giving him her attention and he was going to say what was on his mind.

"Sasha, I know we haven't been friends for long. We weren't friends in community college, and I know you're probably going to say no. but it's...it's been very long since i've been in the company of another woman. And I know you're not staying here in Beach City for long, but I- what i'm trying to say and failing very badly-"

"Greg..."

"Yes Sasha."

"Just get to it, please. We're not twenty years old anymore."

"Ook, Sasha...would you like to be my Girlfriend." greg covered his head when he finished asking.

"I don't live in Delaware Greg, I live in New Jersey. If we're going to make this work, you gotta be fine with a long distance relationship. Think you can manage that."

"Well I am my own boss and manager of my car wash. I reckon I can give myself some vacation time to visit you." Greg replied.

"And since relationships, like any cooperative work, require compromise. I can take some time off of my busy schedule to accommodate you when come by over. Hey Greg..."

"Yeah Sasha."

"Stars shining bright above you, Night breezes seem to whisper I love you." she started, singing with a sensuous and nostalgic manner.

Sasha got up from the picnic cloth and stood up, she offered up her hand to Greg. He blushed and took her hand, to which he replied, "Birds singing in the sycamore tree, dream a little dream of me...i can't believe you still remember Sasha."

Sasha gave him a cheeky smile and ran off into the forest of the emerald hills. She continued to sing the lyics to the old 80's song Greg sang for her years ago.

"Just say goodnight and kiss me, just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me." Sasha sang.

"While i'm alone as blue as can be, dream a little dream of me." Greg continued.

The two ran behind trees, waving at each other like teenagers in love. They hid behind trees, ran out from behind them and continued to sing together.

"Stars fading but I linger on, Still craving your kiss. I'm longing to linger till dawn just saying this." they both sang together.

The two of them continued to sing but paused so Greg could hold Sasha's hand as she jumped on top of a downed tree to walk across it. Or when Greg climbed a tree to pull down a couple of apples. They held hands, twirled and danced around with each other.

"Stars fading but I linger on, still craving your kiss. I'm longing to linger till dawn, just saying this. Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you. Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you, but in your dreams whatever they be...dream a little dream of me."

The dancing and singing from Greg and Sasha ended when both of them were in each others arms. Greg pulled off some of his old king of pop moves in his age and Sasha impressed with some ballet moves. Greg had Sasha held by one arm around her back. Sasha kept herself up on one foot, with the other bent around Greg's back.

"Does this mean yes, Sasha?" asked Greg.

Sasha pulled herself up by placing her hands behind Greg's neck. She closed the gap between their faces and kissed Greg. "How's that for an answer."

"I say, you're the Obi-wan for me Sasha."

"Hahaha, good one nerd. now shut up and just kiss me rockstar."

Hiding in the thick bushes of the forest, Lion watched the two adults french kissing. Pulling away to laugh and return back to smooching. He appeared like he wanted to go over to them, but refrained himself from interrupting their moment. A tear, a large one welled up under his right eye and fell from it. He left them, disappearing into the forest and jumping into a portal he created with his roar.

Gem Battlefield

2:45 [Afternoon]

Laying down on the gem battlefield fully clothed, Carlos kept his left arm wrapped around Pearl's neck as he pointed up at the sky and told pearl the shapes he saw in the clouds. Pearl kept a hand on top of Carlos's chest and her head on his shoulder. There was just something so amazing and unknown about Carlos that pearl, could still not put her finger on.

"That one right there, sort of looks like a cat. Like cookie cat actually."

"Steven loves the ice cream brand Cookie cat. But you do know why you see shapes and images in things like clouds, right Carlos?" Pearl asked curiously.

"It's called Pareidolia. A psychological phenomenon that involves a stimulus wherein the brain perceives familiar images in a vague or obscure stimulus."

"You're so smart Carlos, i'm surprise by how much you know."

"I'm not that smart pearl, just a little wise from the rest of the people here in Beach City. Enough looking at shapes in the clouds. Tell me about you Pearl, tell me about the Gem I have fallen head over heels for."

Pearl blushed when Carlos flipped over on to his side and caressed the side of her face. His fingers, the cells of his hands sang to her, songs of love and attraction and something deeper connected so well with her crystaline body. Why couldn't she put a finger on it. Pearl took her hand off of Carlos's chest and rested it on top of his own.

"You're the only other being I have ever loved this much, aside from Rose. I was a servant in my homeworld. Pearls were researchers, scientists and servants to the Goddess Taffeite and members of her royal family which was composed of nobles, commanders and exalted gems. Rose Quartz was a noble, and also in the running to become Goddess of our Homeworld, but Yellow Diamond took that spot. After learning that Yellow diamond reinstated the kindergarten program, Rose chose to defend the earth. But this was after we arrived to the earth millenia before.

"I did everything in my power to keep rose happy, to show her how much I wanted her. I knew she loved everything and everyone. But that wasn't enough for me, If I could, I would have stayed permanently fused to her if that was an option. She's gone, but I'm still here. Clearly she did everything she could to give Greg a child. Her love for him trumped the love I had for her."

Pearl blushed and looked at Carlos with guilty eyes, "I'm not...making you uncomfortable...am I Carlos."

"No, not at all. Humans, despite what you or what you told me Rose thought of us before meeting Greg. We're not black and white. Human men love other men, human women love other women and sometimes our sexes love both. I'm very...liberal with my beliefs and principles Pearl. What right do I have to judge someone who loved someone else before meeting me. Those first loves, they never leave someone. as much as I love you Pearl, I wouldn't want you to do what Rose did for Greg."

"Wha-what? are you talking about-"

"Children. Like you said, for that to work, a gem risks losing half of herself or all of herself. I sometimes dream of you being the mother of my...our children. But we'll never have more than this Pearl. I know you feel lost and without a purpose. rose is gone. Her memory lives on only in Steven, and that keeps you going. I don't ever want to take that from you."

Pearl's eyes started to well with tears. She sat up, crossed her legs and turned her back to Carlos. She wiped her eyes with her forearm, whimpering and trying to hold in her emotions. Carlos sat up, walked on his knees toward Pearl and hugged her from behind. Pearl took his arms and wrapped them more tightly around her, she kissed the top of his hands and leaned her head back against his chest. She looked up at him, pressed her hand on the side of his face and kissed him.

Pearl stood up after her tears were gone. She offered her hand to Carlos who was squatting down and looking up at her.

"What is it Pearl?"

"Let's dance, I don't know why but I have the feeling that if we do, we can fuse."

Carlos looked nervous, a little unsure also. "I can't Pearl...i-"

"Carlos, I love you. If you love me, you'll dance with me." she told him.

"It's not that Pearl. I do love you. It's just that...i..I'm a. I'm a really bad dancer. I got two left feet. Save me the embarrassment by not asking me again, please. But you know, how about dancing for me. I want to see you dance."

Pearl accepted this and got into the attitude position. Pearl stood up on one leg, with her other extended leg behind her body but bent at the knee at a ninety degree angle. She then brought her extended leg and brought it back over to her front, bent back a little and spun around on only one foot. Carlos clapped his hands and whistled at Pearl. At the end of her ballet routine, Pearl took a bow and placed her hands on her hips; winking at Carlos. Carlos chuckled and stood up, picking pearl up, he took them back over to the Warp Pad to return back home.

Monday

May 11, 2016, 5:30 [Evening]

Crystal Temple, Beach City

"Why does my chest hurt. Why every time I stop crying, there's a lump in my throat when I think about Connie? Huh Lion. We weren't doing anything wrong. we were just kissing. Don't boyfriends and girlfriends do that? If their in love."

Steven asked lion. he sat on a black plastic resin chair with Lion rested his chin on his lap, just outside on the front deck of his beach house. He looked out beyond the sea at the setting sun. from the soft glowing radiance of the orange-yellow hue of the sun, Steven looked down at Lion whose eyes seemed more watery than normal. Steven raised lion up just enough to hug his partner.

"Are you hearbroken too Lion, whose was the one who broke your heart, you can tell me...you can tell me...anything" Steven started to well with tears and whimper. Lion licked the tears that ran down his cheeks while ignoring his own which seemed to fall down from his own dark eye lids.

Flying up out of the ocean wearing a black two piece bikini, Lapis rotated as she bursted out of the ocean. Steven looked up and wiped his tears with his forearm. He also wiped those on Lion's with his thumbs. He stood up out of his chair and walked over to the wooden railing that surrounded his beach house. He rested his forearms on them and watched Lapis fly around and diving back inside of the ocean. He watched her rotate around, created several beautiful constructs out of water.

Lapis danced on top of giant water hands that erected out of the ocean like roman temple pillars. She jumped off of one hand pillar, only for it to disappear behind her. She created giant fountain sprays of water. She created a water peacock with it's iconic feathers made out of ice that changed into sparkles of water.

Steven had stars in his eyes, his heavy heart lightened up and some blush came over his cheeks.

"Lion! Why didn't I see it before, Lapis can help me master the power of my gem. If me and Connie can never see each other or talk to each other...then...then I have to ask Lapis."

Steven jumped on top of Lion and both of them jumped over the beach house railing. Lion ran at his minimal speed which was over 75 mph. Steven saw Lapis come down on one of her hand water pillars. Lapis sense Steven's natural gem vibration and turned around. Steven stood on top of Lion's back and jumped forward. He flew towards Lapis who wasn't prepared for this sort of surprise.

"Catch me Lapis!" Steven shouted.

"Lapis froze up from sheer shyness, she thought back to when Steven unintentionally touched her, even though it was not his fault. Steven had a large smile plastered on his face, Lapis looked to her left and right. There was no where for her to run off to, but it was too late. Steven crashed into her, wrapping his arms around her back and pressing the side of his face against her chest.

"Lapis!" Steved cried out excitedly.

"Steven...i...what-what's up. You and Lion having fun. I tried talking to you yesterday, but you looked sad."

Steven released the hold he had around Lapis and fell back down on his feet. "I know, I still am sad. It's something that happened between me and Connie, and her parents. I don't want to feel like this all the time, please help me."

Lapis blushed hard, she brought her arms behind her back, her left hand grabbed her right shoulder. She looked down at her feet, "how can I help you Steven." she said to timdly.

"I need to master my gem power, please. It's very important that I do. I was watching you from the beach house and thought you could be my teacher. You're just so good with your power of water control."

"Aww, thank you Steven. It's actually called Water generation and manipulation. I've never been counted on for anything, by anyone. Ok, i'll see what I can do with you Steven. Um, was all that you needed help with?"

"Uumm...I'm not sure. Maybe there's a few things you can help me with."

Lapis took Steven's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. His stars returned to his eyes as he looked at Lapis. He had grown by a full inches since Lapis escaped from Jasper and as Malachite, but he was already near her height. Lapis stepped forward just a little, Steven froze up a bit. He wasn't sure what to do. Lion who had moved closer to Steven, turned around and unintentionally bumped his rump against Steven's back, this caused Steven to move forward and Kiss Lapis.

Above the darkening skies, a star fell. Actually a false star was falling towards the direction of the beach of beach city. It was engulfed in a fire. It came down crashing hard and skidded on the sand. The sand that had been disturbed upon landing had been whipped up into the air. Then it came down like heavy rain, putting out the flames still burning on the spherical pod. The crash had caused the ground to shake, and causing Steven to fall down on Lapis. The crystal gems appeared on the warp pad, returning back home from a different location. Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl jumped up to the sky from the front deck of the beach house.

Steven pulled away from Lapis, his face as red as a tomato. He looked up past Lapis and saw black smoke covering a large swath of the beach. Lapis sat up also and turned around. She saw the smoke dissipating slowly. Lapis stood up and changed her swimming attire into something casual. Jean shorts and a white shirt.

"Steven and Lapis stand back!" Garnet ordered.

"No! I'm not scared. Right Lapis?" said Steven.

"Right Steven!" Lapis replied confidently.

Pushing the door of the pod open, a black gauntlet appeared from behind the white smoke puffing up into the air. Steven prepared to manifest his Shield. Lapis formed a sphere of water and changed it into ice. The stranger stepped out of the pod.

Pearl, Garnet, Amethyst and Lapis were taken back a bit. They weren't expecting this kind of gem, a fully male gem. He had Orange skin. Black Greaves, sabatons and knee guards armor. Black gauntlets on his hands. His left arm was covered in mostly riveted black armor plating. Leaving his right arm mostly exposed. He wore a red and black hooded Poncho with a red flame insignia in the middle. Underneath that he wore black leather armor with several belts strapped around it. He wore no kind of protective headgear, which left his face and head exposed.

His face was entirely orange with a red bar going down his neck and black pigmentation around his eyes. The color of his eyes, yellow. His hair was black fire, wisping up and around. A portion of it, a bang covered his left eye and face. His hair let off flickering embers.

He looked around and saw the crystal gems. He cracked his neck and shoulders by moving them around forward and back. A sight as ancient as Homeworld, the crystal gems were stricken, none more so than Amethyst.

"Guys? Pearl? Garnet...Amethyst? Hey Lapis what's wrong. YOU GUYS!" Steven shouted at the top of his lungs.

Pearl snapped out of her infatuation and shook Amethyst and Garnet. Steven shook Lapis who shook her head rapidly.

"Who are you!" Pearl demanded.

The strange male gem said nothing, not bothering to acknowledge the crystal gems. instead he looked around at his surroundings. The smoldering state of his pod caught his eye. Raising one arm, he absorbed the smoke into the palm of his gauntlet. Lapis fired several ice stalagtites at him. But when they got within three feet of him, the ice spikes melted and evaporated. The strange space gem turned, pointed his open hand at Lapis, he created a small ping pong sized ball of fire that he fired at Lapis. It was extremly fast, but Steven erected his shield held up by the pink arm of his flaming aura.

The small orb of fire may have been small, but the blast was similar to that of a tomahawak missle impact. It packed a very powerful punch. Steven's shield held, but barely. That one attack fractured it and sent Steven flying back. Lapis caught him using a water tentacle she created.

"Who is he?" Pearl asked, shielding her eyes from the blowing smoke and sand with her arms.

"I don't know, but he might be with Jasper and Peridot."

"Could yellow diamond have sent him?" wondered Amethyst.

"I don't know, but we can't allow him to escape. Crystal Gems! Attack!" shouted Garnet.

The crystal gems made their move against the strange male gem. The stranger readied himself for a fight. He blew at his black flaming bang with an unimpressed expression.

Continued in Chapter 17. Next Chapter, one of this Story's biggest and greatest battles.