It was the warm month of July, it was a very special month indeed. It was July 9th, Connie's birthday. Despite Connie not wishing to stop work on the drill just because of her, the Temps were certain to celebrate her birth this year.

"Pearl, I demand you have fun with us!" Peridot called.

Pearl frowned and huffed, adjusting a flower crown she was wearing, "It isn't fun for me! I'm working on the drill, keeping you Temps focused! Sometimes I worry about you all, you let your feelings for each other get in the way of work."

Jasper glared at her and Pearl scampered away.

"Don't listen to her, Connie." Lapis smiled happily, adjusting the girl's cream dress.

"Yeah, you've grown a lot this year!" Jasper said.

Suddenly, Doug's car drove up and Steven ran out.

"Connie!" He cried.

"Steven!" The girl beamed and he tackled her in a hug. He swung her around surpriselgly and Connie then saw she had to look up at him, and his voice had grown deeper.

Connie tilted her head. "I… you're so tall!"

Steven gave a laugh, "Yeah! I've been growing a lot lately, then again, it's been a few weeks since you last saw me, so are you surprised?"

Connie realized how tiny she was now compared to him. He had had a growth spurt during the many weeks she hadn't seen him, being too busy to hang out, he was meant to be this tall, just had a longer time to grow. She was up to his forearm now. He had been so small before. "I… um… I am."

Doug walked up and glared at Steven until he moved out of the way of his girl. The man hugged her and gently kissed the top of her head, "Happy birthday, sweetheart."

"Thanks dad." Connie smiled.

"Oh, you're so big." Doug whispered, bending down to her. "I seems like only yesterday you were a baby in my arms, now you're fourteen!"

Steven gasped in shock. "WHHAAAAT?!" He turned to Connie, "Connie, you're fourteen?"

Connie blushed and nodded.

"I'm only twelve! And you're older than me! I mean, I thought maybe a few months, but not two years!" Steven cried.

"Yes, well she is more mature than you." Doug said, "I had no idea you were 12, Steven, at least, not before." He took out a light rose colored scrapbook and Steven saw it had a pale yellow diamond in the center. Beneath it was 'Connie Diamond Universe' in white text. Doug flipped, showing picture of a adorable baby Connie, with her brown hair framing her face, giggling. She blew out the candles. "Baby," they flipped the page and showed a toddler version of her with twin pigtails wearing her birthday crown and cape. "Toddler," They flipped again, showing a Connie who was a bit older than before. "Adolesce," he flipped again, four times, and realized they were all of Connie with that same height, the only difference was her clothes. Doug frowned. "I guess you stagnated, sweetheart."

Connie looked surprised and Steven glanced at Doug. "Er, Doug? Can you show me where the bathroom is?"

"You know where-" Doug started.

"Please!" Steven cried.

A few minutes later, Steven and Doug had gone inside and were talking on the window seat. Connie was walking to the door to grab a drink but hestatied putting her hand on the door handle when she heard, "She's not going to grow up? At all?"

It was Steven. Connie slid under the open window and listened:

"I… don't know honestly, Steven. Connie is a gem, and I've known the gems since I was twenty two. I have learned that they don't grow like humans. They were never children, and had no parents, unless you count the Diamonds but… Well, Connie is half human, so maybe she's different… We just have to wait." Doug sighed.

Steven looked down, solom. "Oh."

"Um, but… we're human beings together, Steven. I don't want you to forget that." Doug said. They high-fived. Connie snuck away, worried and upset.

A few moments later, Connie held her birthday banner, looking up solemnly. Lapis flew down and looked concerned. "Connie? Are you alright?"

"I'm too small…" Connie whispered.

"Well, of course, no human can hang a banner without a ladder!" Lapis giggled, taking the banner. She flew up with the first corner and shape-shifted her arm to the other corner and hooked it on the barn. Connie watched with interest. Lapis then turned to her. "How does it look?"

"Er, perfect!" Connie smiled.

Doug walked up then and Connie turned to him.

"There she is, my birthday girl!" Doug smiled.

"Oh, hi Dad. Did you need me?" Connie asked.

He handed her the girl's birthday crown and cape. "Okay honey, you wait in the barn, put your crown and cape on and we'll get started!" He took her to the barn and closed the door, leaving Connie alone in the darkness. The girl glanced at it, a symbol of her childhood, her childness. She threw it aside and curled her hands into fists.

She soon heard a knock and her dad called out, "We're all ready, pumpkin!"

She opened the door to see Lapis holding a cake in the shape of a diamond. "SUPRISE!" Her family and friend called but then saw Connie step out. She was much taller, and looked older. Her hair was longer and her chest had grown too, making Lapis quickly zoom into the house and then come out, and threw the girl a cardigan.

"Quick, put that on!" Lapis called. Connie frowned but did as she was told, it concealing her womanly growth, making Jasper and Doug less likely to faint at the sight of her all grown up. Connie hesitantly stepped out, getting used to her new form.

"What happened to you?" Jasper whispered.

"I don't know! It's a scientific phenomenon." Connie smiled, her voice slightly deeper. "I suppose I just grew a little bit."

"Are you… okay?" Peridot asked. She made Connie bend down so she could feel her head for a fever.

"Wow! You're so tall, Connie!" Steven said in his now normal sounding deeper voice.

"Isn't it great?" Connie laughed, hugging him. She leaned her head on his shoulder, finally being able to hug him properly. Doug looked between the two, they were both grown up! His baby was only a bit shorter than he was! He give a cough, interrupting the hug. "Er, who wants cake!?"

"Nice save." Jasper whispered, high-fiving him.

Soon, Steven gave Connie a tiny little present.

"Oh! Thank you!" Connie cried, wondering what could be inside such a small box. She was about to untie the bow when Steven stopped her.

"Oh, you don't have to untie that. It's just a box made to look like I spent a lot of time wrapping it." Steven grinned.

Connie laughed and opened the top. She gasped and took out a necklace that was a soft brown leather cord with a shimmering light yellow shell tied on. "Oh, Steven-"

"I know it looks simple, but it's a shell I collected on the day we first met! D-Do you like it?" Steven asked hopefully.

"I love it!" Connie giggled. She tried to tie it around her neck, but it started to choke her a little.

"Oh, it doesn't fit anymore." Steven sighed.

Connie gave a small smile, and wrapped it around her wrist. "It can work like this!"

"Oh, yeah." Steven smiled.

Later, Connie, Lapis, Steven and Peri were playing badminton.

"It's coming!" Peridot cried.

"I got it!" Steven smiled and hit it back.

Peridot smiled and called, "You're improving!"

Lapis hit it back again, but it landed in a tree.

"No worries, I'll get it!" Steven called, running to the tree. Connie watched him grab it from the tree, but soon felt sweat coming as her arm shrunk. She quickly made it long again before anyone could see.

Later, Connie, Steven, Jasper and Peri were dancing while Lapis controlled the music. She saw Connie and Steven and smiled, "This one goes out to the birthday girl, and her best friend." She played a slow dance song, making Jasper glare at her.

Connie and Steven started to dance and Steven gave a laugh, "We're both grown up. And you're older than me!"

"Yeah…" Connie sighed, sweating.

"It's so funny how big we both are!" Steven said with a grin. Connie looked up at him with a nervous smile, "Funny good, or funny bad?"

"Funny good." Steven laughed. Connie leaned her head on his chest, sweating and her eyes wide.

"Connie looks like she's having fun." Peridot smiled, not seeing the utter pain in the girl's face.

"Yep. All thanks to me." Lapis smirked. Jasper gave a mutter in anger.

Connie suddenly pulled away from Steven. "Er, exscuse me, I have to go to the ladies room!" She ran to the house, and shrunk back to her normal height. "Urgh… this is exsaughting… I just have to keep this up for the rest of my life and then Steven will be-" She stopped seeing Lapis and Doug had dropped their forks while eating pieces of cake.

"Connie!" Lapis cried. "What are you doing?!"

"What are you," Connie aged up, and her voice deepened. "doing?"

"Oh, thank goodness, it's just magic!" Doug sighed then looked up. "Wait, Lapis, what is she doing with magic?!"

"Connie, please listen." Lapis whispered, grabbing her hand. "You can't stretch yourself this much!"

"Yes I can!" Connie growled, ripping her hand away. "Steven's going to be a adult one day, and I'll just be some silly little kid following him around! W-What if he doesn't want to hang out with me anymore? What if… we aren't friends when he grows up and I don't?"

"You could get seriously hurt if you stay in a form you're not for too long." Lapis sighed.

Connie shook her head. "Well, I'm half-human! So… so… Don't tell me what to do!" Lapis flinched in sudden fear at her yell and Connie realized she had let her anger overcome her own senses.

"Connie, this isn't like you…" Doug whispered. "You're starting to sound like... your mother."

Connie blinked in suprise and saw her hands were fists. She then ran away in anger.

Later, Connie and Steven sat on a blanket, looking at the stars.

"That one looks like Catcopter!" Steven laughed. Connie glanced at him.

"Huh?" Connie asked.

"Catcopter!" Steven cried. "Now you make one!"

Connie looked up and pointed to the stars. "That one's a… circle constellation."

"Er, yeah! Yeah, it is!" Steven laughed. He seemed to be concerned and saw Connie sweating. "Are you okay? You look kinda sick, are you sick?"

"N-no! I'm fine!" Connie said nervously.

"You sure?... Dad said that teens like us can get a bit sick feeling at times, but we can get through it together! We can do everything together now that you're growing up with me!" Steven cried, hugging her. Connie got overwhelmed, and melted into her clothes, appearing to have disappered.

"Connie!?" Steven gasped in shock. He moved her dress and sweater to reveal Connie had turned into a little baby. "Aw! You're so cute!... Wait, what's going on?!" Steven cried.

Baby Connie looked at herself and saw her tiny feet and hands. "Wha?" The baby gasped. She started to cry.

Lapis was soon cradling Connie as she sobbed, not saying, but was thinking she was so happy to be holding her adorable baby again. "So… what happened again?"

"We were just sitting there talking and then-"

"She turned back into a infant?" Peridot whispered, glaring at Lapis, for she kind of wanted to hold the baby too.

"Why didn't you listen, Connie? Stretching out your body can have serious side effects." Lapis sighed. She rolled her eyes and finally gave her to Peri.

"There, there Connie, there is no reason to cry." Peridot shushed. The baby kept sobbing. "Hm… reading her the dictionary would always make her calm."

"Yeah, cause she fell asleep to it. Watch and learn, folks" Jasper chuckled, taking Connie away from Peri. She looked Connie straight in the eye and yelled, "STOP IT!" Connie stopped for a moment but then started sobbed harder.

"Ok, give her to me! She's her daddy's girl, aren't you?" Doug said, bouncing the baby after taking her.

Steven and Doug soon sat in the house while the gems planned what else they could try outside.

"And then the girl saved all her friends, and they all lived happily ever after." Doug finished reading the fariytale, and Connie still cried. Steven looked worried. Doug frowned.

Steven was trying to play patty cake with her, but she refused, her face pinched up, secretly trying to shapeshift back. "How could the Temps not know what to do?"

"I only let Connie go live with them once they kind of knew how to raise a child. I was the one who truly raised her as a baby, and I made sure they knew how to act like mothers to her before they got to spend a night near her." Doug said with a smile. "I would never trust my girl with anyone that I hadn't taught or knew how to care for a regular human…. Fariytales always used to calmed her down."

"How do we change her back? Will she be a baby forever?" Steven whispered. "I can't understand my best friend anymore?"

"Um… Listen Steven, I think I should just take you home. I'll let you know if we get any breakthroughs but-"

Baby Connie suddenly looked heartbroken and talked babytalk frantically, tears in her eyes, making Steven glance back. "No. Please don't take me home!"

"Are you sure?" Doug whispered.

"Absolutely dude!" Steven said, giving him a thumbs up. He looked back at Connie. "It's okay, Connie. Even if you're a baby, you're more mature than me! I don't care what age you look like. We can still hang out, right? Your dad will teach me exactly how to care for you, and I will! And besides," The boy winked at her. "Jam Buds stick together."

Connie stopped crunching her face and gave a happy coo and grabbed his finger with her tiny hands.

"She stopped crying." Steven whispered with stars in her eyes.

"Really?" Doug asked. "How interesting."

Suddenly, the door cracked open, and the Temps walked in. Lapis gave a small smile, "Can we please cuddle her again?"

"Sure." Steven smiled, Connie reaching her hands up to them.

The next morning, Steven woke up in the tent, he and Connie had fallen asleep quickly that night. He gave a yawn, brushing the sleep out of his eyes. "Morning, little-" He looked over to see the tent only had him and a yellow sweater. "Connie?... Connie! Oh no! Did the magic make you disappear?! Connie!" He bowed his head. "I'll never-"

"Steven!" He turned to see a blushing Connie, back to normal. She wore her shell necklace, it fit her perfectly, the shell siting gently on her gem. "See? It isn't choking me anymore."

Steven gave a gasp and brushed away his tears. "Connie!" He tackled her into a hug, knocking them out of the tent. They laughed togther and Steven helped her up. Connie brushed herself off. "I'm so sorry I lied. It will never happen again. I just wanted you to know I'm still mature, I wanted to show you I could grow older with you. We could stay friends if I could…"

"What? Stay friends? Whoever said we wouldn't be BFFS?"

"I just-"

"Jam buds stays together. Stevonnie stays together, a shield protects its sword, right? I am your knight after all, my ligue."

Connie smiled. "And I am yours, my ligue." She then noticed she was now as tall as Steven's shirt sleeve!

"Oh my gosh! Steven, look!" Connie cried. Steven saw her height and gasped. "You're taller then you were! No magic, right?"

"No magic involved!" Connie grinned. They ran up to her father and the Temps, excited to show her growth.

"Dad! Dad, dad!" Connie cried. He turned and smiled, "What is it, pumpkin?"

"Look! I'm taller!" Said the girl. Doug checked and hugged her, "You really are getting older!"

"Look guys! This is incredible!" Connie yelled, running to show the Temps. They all looked, giving prasies.

"Well, looks like you're gettin stronger kiddo!" Jasper smiled.

"I have to write this down somewhere." Peridot whispered.

"You'll still always be our kid though." Lapis smirked, smushing the girl's face and making her laugh.

Steven watched with a smile, giving a tiny giggle.

Hey guys! So, to let you all know, when Steven and Connie first met in this au, Connie and Steven were the heights from the original show, I figured Connie would be that tall, being the daughter of a very tall person. Connie never noticed until this episode, Steven has indeed been growing over the months. Connie in her normal height was at his forearm. Her height now is just below his shirt sleeve. When using her powers, she was up to his shoulder, to where she could lean on it. Steven has the same voice and height as he does when using the magic in the original, but this change is real and permanent. And btw, since we never learn Connie's birthday, I made it the wonderful and amazing Rebecca Sugar's b-day, like how her brother's was Steven. Merry Christmas, I probably won't be back for a bit! Have fun!