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: Sorry for the Late update. After Connie proved herself capable of repelling an attack on her hometown of Palmyra by two roving corrupted earth gems. She takes a day to rest and recover. Meanwhile, back over to the Crystal Gems, something new is brewing.

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

Music Inspiration: "You and Me" By: Disclosure (Flume Remix)

Chapter 22: The Family From Mars

Wednesday

May 15, 2016, 7:00 [Morning]

Beach City Boardwalk

It was early in the morning in Beach City. People were still at home sleeping. Others were just waking up and getting ready for another summer day. Others were business owners who had gotten up earlier to open up their shops and start business. Ronaldo Fryman and his brother Peedee unlocked the locks keeping the shutter down on their father's business.

"C'mon Peedee, hurry up with those locks already." Ronaldo told his younger brother, yawning. He was trying to shake off the sleep still over his eyes.

"Give me a sec," Peedee groaned annoyed. "I need to tell dad his keys nearly broke the last time I tried opening these stupid old locks."

while Ronaldo yawned and stretched his arms above his head. He pulled out his phone and started to type things into his blog 'Keep Beach City Weird.' while he typed away, he heard the sound of a girl giggling behind him from far away. He turned around and lowered his hand grasping onto his phone. He saw Pearl with her arms wrapped around Carlos Montoya.

Pearl looked different the last time he saw her around town. Today she was wearing tight ankle pink leggings. Black flats with pink socks. For a top she wore a cream colored crop top with Rose's symbol on the back. Even her hair had changed. From it's pixie like style, Pearl kept her hair down in a Medium length bob.

Carlos, who he only knew from seeing working at 'El punto restaurant' was wearing jeans with tony lama wingtip boots. Black toe and heel with the rest of it being maroon in color. He wore a black long sleeve button up shirt. His sleeves were rolled up with the first two buttoned undone. On his head he wore a black stetson hat.

"Incredible!" Ronaldo uttered excitedly. "So gems do fancy humans. It makes perfect sense. I mean Steven Universe is a product of human-gem relations. I need to know if Pearl is with child."

Ronaldo jogged over to interview Pearl and Carlos. That left Peedee to talk to someone who wasn't there with him. "Ronaldo lift the shutter. Ronaldo...Ronaldo!" Peedee turned and found his brother standing in front of Pearl and Carlos.

Ronaldo held his phone up to Pearl. He had it switched it on the microphone app so he could record what the couple had to say.

"Pearl, as a member of the Crystal Gems and defender of this planet earth. I must ask the question the whole town is secretly asking each other."

"What are you talking about...runa...rono...what was your name again." Pearl asked, clinging tighter around Carlos's arm.

"The name is Ronaldo. I'm friends with Steven Quartz Universe. I run a blog called 'Keep Beach City Weird.' if you haven't heard what it's about, it's-"

"You said the whole town was talking about us Ronaldo? What were they asking." Pearl asked, cutting off his detailed description of his Blog.

"Right. We all know Steven Universe is half human and half gem. I wanted to know if you were with child Pearl."

"e-Excuse me!?" Pearl said out loud. Blush came over her cheek as she balled up her hands into fists.

"I ask because I see you're clinging on to Carlos's arm here like a normal human girl would. if she was with her boyfriend that is. That's what human couples do. And as research would show, when couples have been going steady for a while they perform the ritual of procreation to continue the species."

Carlos smiled and blushed a little. He tilted his stetson hat up, just a little to look at Ronaldo.

"You're asking if me and Pearl have 'done it' and if she's carrying my child?" Carlos asked happily, almost like he was teasing Pearl.

Pearl's pale white face went sky blue with blush. She hid behind Carlos without letting go of his arm. Ronaldo nodded with wide eyes and a wide excited smile. Carlos raised a finger and opened his mouth like he was going to answer.

"Ronaldo! Get over here and help me right now, or else I'm telling Dad." Shouted Peedee from the entrance of their family store.

"Peedee! I'm getting very important info from this inter-species couple! Not now!" Ronaldo shouted back over to his younger brother.

Ronaldo turned back to continue the interview with Pearl and Carlos. But he looked around and twirled around, confused and stumped. "Wait, where did they go?" he asked himself. Then he saw the couple almost twenty feet ahead of him. They continued to walk on their way.

"Hey Wait! I still haven't gotten an answer!" Ronaldo yelled at them. "I'll be here if you want to tell meee!" he hollered, sounding hopeful.

"My goodness Carlos. Why were you humoring that boy." Pearl disappointingly asked him.

"Relax Pearl. I was never going to tell him anything anyway. I didn't make you feel embarrassed did I? If I did I'm sorry. I won't do it again, promise." Carlos kissed pearl on her temple.

"Anyway. I'm really happy to have you back home Carlos. Tell me, how was the family down in Mexico."

"They were...nice people. Pearl, I really need to tell you something. I've been thinking about this since leaving Mexico.

"Maybe later Carlos. I wanted to tell you about someone who came down from space. I'm sure you must have seen it or heard about in Mexico." Pearl queried.

"I did pearl. The television stations down in Mexico were covering the store they called "La Estrella," The Star. They said it was a sign from God. What was it really, Pearl."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. A commander from Homeworld...came down to Earth. He was a beast. His power, his endurance and durability. It was all on a completely different scale. I've heard of them being sent to planets in different galaxies to destroy their primary and secondary defenses. Never before have I seen one fight, and never before have I felt such fear fighting one.

All of our fusions were hopelessly incapable of taking down the Gem who calls himself Soren Spessartite. Only Steven..."

Carlos shuttered a little bit hearing that name. He shook his head and took a look at what Pearl was wearing. "You look really beautiful today Pearl. I love your new style." he said a little nervous.

Pearl blushed and stopped talking. His nervousness, she took as a clear attraction to her today. She pushed some of her hair back behind her ear, smiling at him. She took a hold of Carlos's hand and lead him over to the crystal temple. Carlos did not look to excited though.

Crystal Temple, Beach City

7:10 [Morning]

Located outside of the Crystal temple. Ruby and Sapphire were playing volleyball against Amethyst and Commander Soren. Unlike the other crystal gems, Commander Soren Spassartite did not undergo a change of clothes.

The feistiest and hot headed Ruby ditched her maroon tank top, mid-thigh length burgundy shorts and short pointed maroon boots. She changed her clothes so she now wore dark red yoga shorts with thin white bars going down their sides. A white halter neck crop top with the same red head band tied around her head and behind her outgrown hair. On her feet she wore black and white chucks. She had roses's symbol on the front of her crop top.

Sapphire also ditched her floor length dress for something less stuffy. First she shortened her long wavy hair and styled it into a bob. She had long strands that framed her face. She wore a cream colored off the shoulder crop top. And like Ruby, she had Rose's symbol on her top. Below her waist she wore dark blue Bermuda shorts and cream colored flats.

Amethyst changed the color of her leggings to black and changed her star patches on her knees to rose's symbol, which were white. Over her leggings she wore a jean skirt. Above her waist she wore a gray mid riff shirt with Rose's symbol on the back. She also kept her long lavender hair tied up into a low ponytail.

Against his own character, Soren played along with the game of Volleyball thanks to Amethyst. Not wanting to push him beyond the point of angering him. Amethyst explained to him inside of the temple, just how the game worked. Seeing no real purpose in smacking a 'sphere' as he called it, back and forth without letting it touch the ground was enjoyable. Still, he gave in and joined them in this human recreational activity

Soren chose to levitate, one out of many abilities of his. He kept his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes closed. Amethyst, just below him kept her eyes on Ruby who was running side to side. She jumped up ten feet into the air and smacked the volleyball over to Soren. Soren raised his left hand, extended his index finger and swatted the incoming ball away.

The ball was sent flying back and headed towards Sapphire.

"Ruby it's headed your way!" Ruby shouted through the space between her hands brought up around her mouth.

Sapphire seemed frozen in sphere. Ruby rushed over to jump across Sapphire and take the impact of the ball . But the ball was faster and crashed into Sapphire's waist, sending her crashing and skidding into the sand. The impact caused a small cloud of sand and smoke to billow into the air. Ruby fell on the sand after jumping, hoping to take the impact of the volleyball for sapphire.

Ruby was helped up to her feet by Amethyst who came running over to her. "Thanks Amethyst." Ruby said. She looked up at the sky and didn't see The Commander.

"Thank you Commander...forgive me for not having my head in the game." Ruby heard Sapphire's voice speaking from behind a cloud of white smoke.

"I'm the one who should be seeking forgiveness. This is a simple game of hit the ball back and forth. I should have held back. I'm sorry."

Commander Soren was down on one knee, holding Sapphire around by her waist with his left arm. Sapphire had her hands timidly raised up to her chest like a child. With her one eye she looked past her bangs and blushed looking at Soren. His sharp, male facial features caused her to blush. Males in Homeworld were extremely rare, only being born to exceptionally powerful female gems known as Goddesses.

There was a natural gravitation of 'female' gems to their 'male' counterparts, and Sapphire, like Amethyst and Ruby found it difficult to pull themselves away from that.

Ruby came over and looked over Soren's black Pauldron, or armor for his shoulder. She moved around him and took Sapphire into her arms.

"uh, thanks for saving sapphire...c-commander Soren." Ruby thanked Soren, but refrained from making eye contact with him. She did not want to feel light or her heart unintentionally flutter.

Soren nodded his head and headed back over to his side of the volleyball. Ruby looked down at Sapphire who was tapping her hands on her cheeks.

"Why weren't you paying attention to the ball Sapph!" Ruby scolded Sapphire.

"I was paying attention Ruby. I was just-"

"Distracted? By what...or rather, by Who!" Ruby shouted, visibly jealous. Ruby let sapphire drop as she turned her back and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Ruby it's not like that."

while Ruby and Sapphire argued. Amethyst looked up at Soren who levitated up into the air and crossed his legs in addition to crossing his arms. She played with her ponytail and watched him blow a flowering stream of blue fire out of his mouth when he yawned.

"He's so amazing." Amethyst muttered.

Steven and Lapis

Over off on the other side of the Temple, fat away from the rest of the crystal gems. Steven carried a finely carved spherical stone on his left shoulder. The stone was carved from a boulder Lapiz found under the ocean. It weighed roughly 900 pounds!

Ever since he was healed thanks in part to his mother's healing fountain. Steven's gem control and abilities saw a rise in level and control. Lapis deduced that when Steven was subjugated by his fusion with Lion, he subconsciously was in some control and learned how to tap into his "Mastered Gem Form."

"Ok Steven, one more lap." Lapis said to him.

Lapis stood on a three foot boulder that jutted out of the ground. She wore a white crotchet halter top with tie straps. Below she wore a pair of denim high waisted shorts. On her feet she wore white running shoes. On the front of her halter top was Rose's symbol.

Steven wore only a pair of black and pink swimming trunks. He was running a circular lap around several similar spherical stone boulders Lapis cut and polished. Steven stopped at the starting line and dropped the nine hundred pound stone on the sandy ground. He brushed away the accumulating sweat beads on his forehead with his forearm.

"Explain to me again why I have to run carrying this heavy stone Lapis." Steven asked lapis, panting lightly.

"It's to help your body get accustomed to the pain and fatigue it'll feel when you push past your "Guardian mother form" and enter your "Master gem Form." humans are very resilient and determined beings. but unlike their spirit, the body needs to get accustomed to a harsh transition which we Gems do not have to worry about."

when Steven finished catching his breath. He brushed his hand through his curly dark brown hair which had grown out to become more of a 'messy curly' style. Steven walked over to Lapis who brought up a holo screen of the fight Leo Kunzite and Commander Soren had. Her gem was located on her back, but the screen projected out of her chest and three feet in front of her.

"So Steven I wanted to share with you how this recording of you and Lion fused into Leo...Kun..." Lapis trailed off when Steven stopped in front of her. She blushed when he took her hands into his and just looked at her.

"What is it...S-Steven." lapis stammered nervously.

"Nothing. I just like looking at you Lapis." Steven replied, smiling at her with a slight grin.

"Oh. Look, I wanted to show you this." Steven watched turned around and backed up into Lapis's open thighs. Lapis wrapped her arms around his neck.

Steven watched him and Lion as Leo Kunzite talking to Lapis. He watched the part where Leo said that Steven was in love with Lapis. Steven blushed and placed a hand on Lapis's forearm around his neck.

"I honestly really can't remember any of that Lapis. I felt Lion's side dominating me most of the time while we were holding each other. But there was this strange feeling of wildness that...i liked."

Steven turned around, keeping Lapis's arms around his neck. Their foreheads touched and their lips increasingly getting much closer to each other.

"I thought you had died Lapis. I thought that if I took on Soren, even if I died. I would stll be with you. Pearl showed me how I became surrounded by a giant pink version of me. You're telling me that my master gem form?"

"Yes Steven. That giant version of you is the final manifestation of your Gem body that you can achieve with half of your mother's power. I am not aware of other human-gem hybrids who have ever truly mastered their gem because honestly, i've only been exposed to you and...the only one I care about"

Steven's expression became doleful. He knew Lapis was referring to Connie also as another human-gem hybrid. it has been three days since he contacted her in any way. He expected her to contact him, but then again he figured she was only doing what her parents wanted.

Crystal Temple

Arriving at the temple. Pearl took Carlos over to The crystal gems and Commander to introduce him to Ruby and Sapphire, and to Soren. Soren was levitating horizontally, his hands behind his head. He was swimming in his own thoughts. Then he felt it. it was a familiar sensation. He straightened up and noticed pearl walking over to Amethyst and the gem couple.

"Carlos, you already know Amethyst." Pearl pointed to Amethyst.

"Sup dude, did you get us some cool souvenirs from Mexico?" Amethyst asked him.

"Actually I did, but i'll give em to you guys later." Carlos responded.

"And Carlos, I know you haven't formally met Garnet. But let me introduce to you the two gems who make that beautiful and powerful gem. The red one is is Ruby."

Carlos walked up to her and extended his open palm for her to give him a 'five.' Ruby crossed her arms and looked away from him. Carlos furrowed his brows in confusion, unsure of what he did to earn than response from Ruby.

"Ruby! Don't be Rude." Soren said to her. He walked over to join to group when he was firmly on the ground.

Ruby shook in her shoes and brought her arms down. She grudgingly took Carlos's hand and shook, but shook it very hard. "Hi. The name's Ruby." she said in a forced delighted tone.

"Hijo de la gran... Carlos Montoya, happy to make your acquaintance."

pearl looked angrily at Ruby who gave her cocky grin. "Anyway, the blue one is Sapphire."

Carlos hesitated to shake Sapphire's hand, but she looked more grounded and less likely to hurt him.

"Hola Sapphire. It's a pleasure to meet you." Carlos extended his hand to Sapphire who for a few seconds only looked at it.

Carlos raised an eyebrow and wondered if she had a problem with him too. "Sapphire." Soren said hr name. Sapphire tensed up and took Carlos's hand and shook it. "Pleasure Mr. Montoya." she said quite emotionless and distant.

"And this tall, imposing and surprisingly merciful male gem is Commander Soren Spessartite. He was half the reason why there was gargantuan explosion in the aky."

Carlos looked nervous just being in Soren's presence. Pearl and the rest of the crystal gems took notice of his change in demeanor. Still, he approached the towering commander and extended his hand to him.

"Carlos Montoya, it's a pleasure to meet..." Carlos stopped halfway into his statement.

Commander Soren smiled at him. But it wasn't a welcoming smile. It was a smile that knew something, and knew it very well. Commander Soren just stared at Carlos for a good minute. Pearl and the rest of the crystal gems looked at them, wondering why the heck they were just staring at each other.

"Hey...are you two in love or something?" Amethyst asked jokingly.

Pearl blushed in her cheeks and shoved Amethyst. "Of course their not in love Amethyst."

"Oh, it's just that their...STARING at each other! Pearl!" Amethyst shoved pearl right back, raising her voice also.

"Don't shove me Amethyst!" Pearl retorted.

Ruby held Pearl back and Sapphire kept Amethyst from fighting pearl by holding on to her ponytail. Their arguing subsided when Carlos and Soren finally shook hands. It was long and drawn out though.

"pleasure to meet you Mr. Montoya." Soren said sounding suspicious of Carlos.

"The pleasure is all mine sir. Um pearl, did you want to show me Steven-"

BOOM

The crystal gems and Carlos all shuddered when they heard an explosion rock and sound off at the other side of the crystal temple. All except for Soren who kept an 'eye' on Steven and Lapis. A seagull with red pupils watched Steven and Lapis. Soren telepahtically tapped into the brain waves of surrounding animals to manipulate and view through their eyes

Everyone watched as Steven stomped into view, situated inside of a 40 foot tall Wooden Golem with his features and in his body shape. His torso, arms and legs were snaked by large thick brambles. He went up against a water monster shaped by Lapis's power. The water monster looked more like an Octopus with half of it's total body breaking the surface of the ocean.

Steven fired brambles at it. They wrapped themselves around it's tentacles. But the Water created octopus launched newly created tentacles from it's body at Steven.

"Quickly Steven! It's firing new tentacles at you, what you going to do for a counteraction!" Lapis shouted through bowled hands.

Steven made his Golem stomp his foot on the beach. This raised three giant wooden hands out of the sand that grabbed the incoming tentacles in the nick of time.

"Excellent Steven! Now finish off the mosnter!"

Steven did as he was told and manifested his mother's sword In the right hand of his golem and leaped up into the air. With a glowing pink vertical impression of light left after slashing down on the octomonster, there was massive splash of ocean water that rained down on everyone.

"Wow...Steven's come a long way." Pearl whispered, quietly amazed.

Carlos wrapped his arm around Pearl's back and whispered in her ear, "Let's go meet him then." Pearl smiled and lead the way.

9:00 [Morning]

Entering earth's low orbit. Flying at several thousand miles per hour. A 30 foot by 20 foot wide pink and silver flying saucer caught on fire and wobbled erratically fighting against earth's atmosphere. Back down on earth, Soren was sitting on the head of the crystal temple and cocked his head up. He looked past the clouds, the blue of the earth's sky and saw a trail of fiery red light streaking the sky. Using telescopic vision, he noticed the alien inscriptions on the ship.

While everyone else except for Amethyst were crowded around Steven. Soren stood up and looked at Amethyst below him. "Amethyst." Soren started.

"Yes Commander?" Amethyst replied respectfully.

"Care to accompany on a little rescue mission?"

"Rescue mission?"

"Yes Amethyst. Grab hold of my waist, hurry we don't have long."

"I- um. I don't think I-"

"Amethyst. When a Commander asks something of a gem lower in rank than him for assistance, it's considered an Honor." he added.

Amethyst nodded her head and smiled excitedly. She wrapped her arms around his back armor plate. Soren took off flying using streams of fire under his Sabatons to propel him through the sky. Their take off was accompanied by a sonic boom, audio evidence of breaking the sound barrier.

The crystal gems covered their eyes from the sand that was blown around on Soren's take off. "Are those two heading somewhere?' Steven queried.

"Must be if their taking off that fast." Carlos chimed.

Emerald Hills, Beach City

9:25 [Morning]

While barrel rolling through the sky at incredible speeds. Amethyst understood why Soren asked her to aid him in a rescue mission. She saw the flying saucer that had caught on fire plummeting towards the emerald hills just outside of beach city.

"There Commander! It's going to crash into those- whoa! WOOOOOODS!"

Soren followed the path of the falling saucer just behind it from a safe distance. The flaming saucer crashed into the heavy wooded forests of Emerald Hills. The ship snapped trees in half, left a heavy streak impression as it skidded on the flat section of the forest. Fires from the ship jumped off and landed on the leaves of trees, threatening to set the whole woods ablaze.

Soren landed him and Amethyst down on the ground. With amethyst back down on solid ground, Soren first raised an invisible barrier to quarantine and seal off the crash site to humans. With a barrier in place. Soren raised his hands and lowered them softly. The fires on the trees, ground and on the ship decreased in size before finally disappearing. The smoke would clear out on it's own. Right now, they needed ot make sure the ships crew was fine.

Walking closer to the ship, Soren kept Amethyst back with his arm extended out in front of her.

'What is it Soren?"

"Someone's coming out." he said quietly.

When the smoke had clear up enough. Both gems saw a giant hole on the top of the ship. Jumping out of the smoke and landing on all four was a...Cat. It was no ordinary cat though, it was bipedal, it was an Anthropomorphic Cat.

He was a black six foot all bipedal cat with padded white and black gloves on. He had on a white winter vest. Had on black track pants with white bars going down the side of the legs. Around his forehead were vintage racing goggles. He rose up to his feet, stambling a little bit. He turned around and pulled out something from the torn hole wrapped in white and black towels.

To Amethyst's surprise but not much from Soren. A light yellow Gem stepped out of the hole from the ship!

Amethyst placed her hands over her mouth from sheer shock. Soren took one step, only one step. This made the black alien cat turn around on his heels, and wave his arm upwards. Soren raised his own hand up. To Amethyst she saw nothing happen for Soren to raise his hand up like that.

"You ok Amethyst?" soren asked her, sounding a little concerned.

Amethyst nodded her head.

The cat's eyes were amber, like honey. They sparkled in the light of the sun. the alien cat looked shocked but more concerned for the gem that fell down on her hands and knees. Soren and Amethyst looked and took down what the gem looked like.

Her skin tone was a maize yellow. She wore apricot colored Bermuda like shorts. On her feet she wore apricot colored cassie boots. She also wore buff colored cotton long sleeve neck tee with a white winter vest and fluffed hoodie. Her hair was cream colored and was styled into medium loose curls. When the alien cat helped her up, Amethyst and Soren saw that her gem was small and located on her throat.

Soren approached the Alien cat and gem. "Soren...wait!" she quietly shouted. The alien cat took up a defensive position in front of the gem who was holding the wrapped towels. Soren stopped ten feet in front of them and spoke.

"My name is Commander Soren Spassartite. a Former commander in the Homeworld armada. State your business for coming to Earth!" he sounded formal but authoritative.

The yellow gem whispered into the cat's ear. This made the cat become relaxed. The cat walked over to Soren and introduced himself and his partner.

"The name is 'Bells' Commander Soren. I was a member of the Martian Self Defense Force. The gem behind me is my wife, her name is Citrine and she just finished giving birth to our child. His name is 'whistles' commander. Please, my wife, she needs your help."

Commander Soren nodded his head and walked over to Citrine. She was barely able to stand on her own. Bells rushed over to keep her standing by wrapping his arms around her waist. Soren asked to see the child. Bells moved the towels away his child's face. Soren smiled and saw a small anthropomorphic black kitten with a Citrine gemstone on its own throat. He waved over to Amethyst to come see the beauty of a child produced by inter-species union.

Amethyst went over and gazed upon the sleeping anthro kitten in its mother's arms. This brought memories of Greg holding Steven in his own arms. Tears begun to well under her eyes.

"Please Commander-" bells spoke, he sounded english.

"Don't worry Bells. Citrine...this might feel...a little hot at first, please bare it for your child't sake."

Soren raised his right hand up and made his index finer glow with a blue flaming aura he pressed his finger on Citrine's gemstone. There was an explosion of yellow and red light upon contanct. She winced in pain and clutched her baby tighter in her arms. Amethyst backed up when Citrine started to yell. Her husband Bells closed his eyes and placed his face in the crook of his wife's shoulder.

When it was all done. Soren stepped back and lowered his hand. Citrine was panting loudly, her breath ragged. She opened her eyes to reveal beautiful yellow irises. She no longer swayed like she was about to pass out.

"My gem! My magical core...it's...been balanced out! Oh Great Red Beryl Bells, He saved me!" Citrine declared. She turned around and kissed her Cat husband.

Amethyst was at a loss for words at this. She looked up at Soren and asked him straigt out, how on earth he did that.

"Citrine, like Rose gave half of the magic stored in her gemstone to act as her living donation to create a child with her non-gem partner. No gem, other than Commanders and Goddesses can live with only half of their magical core intact. This will cause an imbalance in the gem parent that will in the end, send them permanently back into their gemstone. Never to reform again.

I simply filled Citrine's gemstone with some of my own magic. Perhaps it was by divine providence that I came here, that this hybrid child will have both of his parents. As a commander, I was born with so much magic stored into me that I will never be able to use it all in this lifetime. Not to mention that our magic levels are constantly refilling by every Attosecond. We have to keep making more reserves of magic internally just to keep from going a little..nutty."

Amethyst cried watching the inter-species couple kissing and kissing their child. "I really wish you had came here earlier Soren. Then maybe Rose would still be here." she sobbed.

Soren gave her a knowing look and brought her in for a hug, something she really needed right now.

- Continued in Chapter 23.

(!) "I hope this nearly 5200 word chapter makes up for my tardiness in updating my story. Right now I'm expanding the roster of Orignal characters and adding new members to the crystal gems."